Last updated on February 19th, 2019 at 09:33 pm
The Vijayanta main battle tank was an early Indian tank based on a design by Britain’s Vickers company.
In 1961s, Vickers Ltd. agreed to design a new main battle tank, which was known as the Vickers Mark I main battle tank, for the Indian Army.
Vickers was to build prototypes, as well as 90 production tanks, in the UK. The company also agreed to build a new production facility at Avadi, which is near Madras, India.
In 1963, two prototypes of the new tank were completed in the UK.
One of these was sent to India, while the other remained in the UK, where it underwent further development.
In 1965, production tanks were completed at Vickers’ works in Elswick, England and at the Avadi facility.
The Indian model was designated the Vijayanta (“victorious”).
At first, the Vijayanta main battle tank was made mostly of UK components.
As time went on, India increasingly took over production until almost all components were manufactured in India.
The Vijayanta main battle tank is based on the British Chieftain main battle tank. It uses the Chieftain’s steering, engine, transmission and fire control systems.
Its main gun is the 4.13 inch (105mm) gun used on Britain’s Centurion MBT.
Secondary armament on the Vijayanta includes a 0.3 inch (7.62mm) coaxial machine gun, a 0.5 inch (12.7mm) ranging machine gun, also mounted coaxially, and a 0.3 inch (7.62mm) machine gun in the commander’s cupola.
There are six pairs of smoke grenade launchers.
At 39 tons (40,000kg), the Vijayanta is lighter than the Chieftain and the Centurion.
India used the Vijayanta main battle tank during the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War.
Variants of the Vijayanta MBT include an armored recovery vehicle and a bridgelayer.
Production of the Vijayanta main battle tank ended in the 1980s.
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Vijayanta Main Battle Tank |
|---|---|
| Active: | 1965 |
| Crew: | 4 |
| Weight: | 39 tons (40,000kg) |
| Length: | 32ft 1in (9.8m) |
| Height: | 8ft 10in (2.7m) |
| Width: | 10ft 4in (3.2m) |
| Weapons: | Main – 4.13in (105mm) gun, Secondary – 2 x 0.3 inch (7.96mm) machine guns, 1 coaxial, 1 in commander’s cupola; 1 x 0.5 inch (12.7mm) coaxial ranging machine gun; 6 pairs of smoke grenade launchers |
| Armor | Maximum – 3in (80mm) |
| Engine: | Leyland L60 diesel l, 535hp |
| Speed: | 31mph (50kph) |
| Range: | 330 miles (530 km) |