Civilians get chance to view Army's prowess at exhibition

Bhopal, Apr 23 (UNI) The T-72 tank, which is the Indian Army's mainstay, BMP-IIK armoured personnel carrier (APC), P-19 radar from the erstwhile USSR, AM-50 truck-mounted bridgelayer and ZU twin-barrel anti-aircraft (AA) gun were among robust military hardware on display at a 'Know Your Army' exhibition underway here.

''The T-72 plays a key role in the majority of our armoured and mechanised formations. It is the main punching power and success heavily rely on being able to achieve necessary missions in Mechanised operations,'' Brig (Retd) Prabir Goswami, Vishisht Seva Medal, who commanded 16 Independent Armoured Brigade during Operation Vijay - in Kargil- told UNI.

The originally-Soviet tank has a primary armament comprising a 125-mm calibre smoothbore gun utilising an electro-hydraulic autoloader. Secondary armament is a 7.62-mm coaxial machine gun.

Power is supplied by a 582 KW (780 hp) diesel engine and the crew comprises a commander, driver and gunner. The weapon system is equipped with a laser range finder and thermal jackets on the main gun.

The T-55 trawl tank clears mines and is also equipped with a 105-mm main gun.

The Schilka armoured vehicle, again originally Russian, can spit out 3,400 rounds per minute from its multiple guns. It could knock out an air target at 2,500 m and a ground target at 2,000 m.

Upto seven infantrymen can be carried into battle by the BMP-IIK APC that has a maximum speed of 65 kmph, can go through water at 7 kmph and fires Konkurs and Fagot missiles.

The ZU twin-barrel AA gun, with a crew of five, has a maximum effective range of 2,500 m and can discharge 2,000 rounds in the space of a minute.

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