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Indian engineering giant Larsen and Toubro (L&T)
and US-based radar systems leader Raytheon have
jointly bid for the upgrade of T-72 Tanks of the
Indian Army.
Raytheon will provide infrared imaging sights
and electronics to greatly improve target accuracy
and increase the overall system lethality on the
battlefield for the T-72 tank formations. L&T
will provide the fire control system, sensors,
and will accomplish the final integration along
with the customer support.
“L&T is the only Indian company in the
private sector that is leading the tank upgrade
program. L&T and Raytheon combination has
got what it takes to deliver on such an important
program,” said M V Kotwal, Senior Executive
Vice President. “This begining would lead
to new avenues in Indian and global defense markets
for both the partners working together.”
The first regiments of the T 72 had arrived in
India more than 30 years ago, and most of them
still do not have any night-fighting capability.
As the Indian Army’s plans to replace them
with more modern T-90s and indigenous Arjuns would
take several years, the Directorrate General of
Mechanised Forces (DGMF) has planned to upgrade
them for a life-extension of 10-15 years.
The Army has more than 2500 T 72 tanks, many
of which should actually have been phased out
but for the lack of their timely replacements.
Nonetheless, they are the backbone of the Army’s
armoured columns and need to have thermal imagers
and night fighting capability. That means both
contemporary sensors and missiles. The Auxillary
Power Unit (APU) is also needed.
Mr Kotwal said the collaboration with Raytheon
would open avenues for the partners at the global
level. L&T could build on this association
and get into segments that suit it best, he said.
Mr Kotwal, however, did not divulge details about
the project size and other details.
“Through collaboration with L&T on this
important proposal for the Indian Army, we have
confirmed the very complementary capabilities
leveraged across our companies… Together,
we are exploring other opportunities to provide
net-centric modernisation defence solutions to
meet growing demands in India and the global marketplace,”
Mr Fritz Treyz, Vice-President, Raytheon Network
Centric Systems India, said.
“L&T has been a major supplier of critical
systems to India’s Defence and Space Research
sectors for more than three decades. Defence products
cover a wide range including rocket & missile
launchers, naval systems, radar systems, gun-upgrades,
fire-control systems, and tank electronics among
others.
This new agreement will help us induct “state-of-the-art”
technology, and expand our range of high value
offerings in the defence sector,” said Mr
Kotwal.
L&T have bid for the contract to upgrade
1,000 T-72 battle tanks in India. Defence ministry
sources said that India was looking to spend at
least $100 million in upgrading the tanks, which
India bought from Russia three decades ago.
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