Nyoma (Eastern Ladakh): In Nyoma, eastern Ladakh on September 22, the Indian Army troops displayed multiple tactical tank exercises. It included modern war horses T-90, T-72 and BMP-2. The armoured unit conducted the exercises.
Standing at a height of about 13,700 ft, Nyoma is around 30 km inside the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
According to a media report, the soldiers showed confidence in the machine and their ability to knock down the enemy. The report quoted soldier tradesman Manoj Kumar as saying, “We are fully prepared to destroy our enemy at this altitude. It can be deployed anywhere and remove its obstacles to cross the area. It is capable of deep-fording (a technique used to cross deep water by driving a vehicle on the riverbed, lakebed, or seabed).”
“This is one of the best tanks in the world. We are very proud that this tank is being manufactured in India,” the soldier tradesman said referring to T-90. The war machine is effective in any weather condition, day and night.
Fitted with a 1000-hp engine, this tank can cross any obstacles anytime. It can be deployed in deserts and marshy land. A total of 3 men handle this tank—driver, gunner and commander. The gunner is mandated to keep an eye on the enemy and fire on them.
There are two armaments equipped in this tank. The main is a 125-mm bore gun that can fire four types of ammunition. The second weaponry system is a 7.62-mm machine gun, which is for infantry targets. To destroy aerial targets, the tank has a 12.7-mm gun.
The commander is the third member of the crew and can also fire on the enemy. This tank works on the principle of ‘hunter killer’.
Dotted with open valleys, the LAC runs through eastern Ladakh for 832 km. With induction of a significant number of T-72 and T-90 tanks in operational areas, the Indian Army gained tactical surprise over the adversary. These areas are dotted with multiple open high-altitude valleys. The temperature there can plummet to minus 40 degrees Celsius, with gusts of high wind impacting the performance of men and such machines.
In Ladakh, the rarefied air (with low oxygen level), affects the performance of tanks. To remain functional, the soldiers have to start the engine 2-3 times when the temperature dips at night.
Noticing the Chinese People’s Liberation Army troops moving in large numbers, over 68,000 troops were moved within a limited period to forward locations. Ninety tanks, 330 Infantry Combat Vehicles, the Russian BMPs, and several artillery guns were airlifted—a total load exceeding 9,000 tonnes with the help of Indian Air Force’s strategic airlift transport fleet.
Raksha Anirveda's editorial desk team brings in the collective experience of creative professionals - a fine mix of senior copy editors, writers, proofreaders and designers. Working as a team, they continuously create, manage, and curate content to sustain the magazine's profile and reputation in line with market trends and achieve magazine's goal.
