Indian Army issues RFI for T-90 tanks’ Active Protection System to deter aerial threats

Indian Army seeks active protection system for T-90 tanks to counter anti-tank threats and UAS attacks, with a focus on 'Make in India' route.

New Delhi: Aiming to defeat current generation of anti-tank threats including from Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), the Indian Army has issued a request for information (RFI) to manufacture active protection system (APS) for its Russian-origin T-90 S/Sk tanks. 

The RFI, which was issued on February 3, mentioned that the APS should have soft kill, hard kill and counter unmanned aerial system (C-UAS) measures. It should also not denuding the existing capabilities of T-90 tanks.

Active Protection System is an efficient and cost-effective system to enhance survivability of tanks in modern battlefield and same has been reflected in various present conflicts around the globe, including Russia – Ukraine war. 

The need to install APS in the t-90S tank arises after a lesson learnt from ongoing Russia – Ukraine war, wherein Russian tanks witnessed a number of aerial attacks from Ukrainian side. 

The upgradation programme will be undertaken through ‘Make in India’ route. As of now, the Indian Army is operating with over 1200 T-90s Tanks. 

In its RFI, the Indian Army mentioned that the anti-tank threat is not limited to frontal arc but has become omnidirectional. 

“The tank design based on the equilateral triangle of lethality, mobility and survivability allows limited measures to enhance survivability by increasing armour protection.”

The parameters that the Indian Army has set for the technical specifications, include that the APS should be able to detect all types of UAS including loitering UAVs, first person view (FPV), swarm, and Kamikaze drones. 
“It should also be capable of detecting all types of anti-tank projectiles in terms of RPG, ATGM, chemical and kinetic energy munitions.”

The RFI further read that the APS should not in any way compromise the mobility of the tanks and should be able to operate in high altitude areas, too. 

In its research in February 2024, the International Institute for Strategic Studies stated that the Russian military lost over 3,000 tanks, adding that Ukraine has also suffered heavy losses since Russia began special military operation against its neighbouring country, which was once a part of USSR.