The Indian Army has issued an RFI to procure an APS for its T-90S/SK MBTs with hard-kill, soft-kill, and C-UAS capabilities. (Russian MoD)
The Indian Army has issued a request for information (RFI) in support of its planned procurement of a new active protection system (APS) for its T-90S/SK ‘Bhishma' main battle tanks (MBTs).
Released on 3 February, the RFI is intended to identify foreign companies to manufacture the APS through collaboration with Indian industry, indicating probable local production of the system. The RFI asks foreign companies to respond by the beginning of April.
The procured APS should possess “soft kill, hard kill, and counter-unmanned aircraft system (C-UAS)” capabilities to enhance the T-90S/SK's survivability, the RFI said. The APS should also be capable of “being integrated with [the] T-90 without denuding [its] existing capabilities”, it added.
According to the RFI, the soft-kill systems will be intended to neutralise anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) and UASs. The hard-kill system is required to be capable of neutralising chemical energy (CE) and kinetic energy (KE) projectiles.
The APS should be modular and capable of integrating additional sensors and combat systems, the RFI added.
The RFI does not specify the number of APSs to be manufactured. However, it is likely that all operational T-90S/SK MBTs will receive the upgrade. According to Janes World Armies, the Indian Army operates about 1,000 T-90 MBTs of several variations. The type has been in service with the army since 2001.
Indian Army T-90 MBTs are produced under licence from Russia's UralVagonZavod (UVZ) by India's state-owned Heavy Vehicles Factory (HVF) in Chennai.
The T-90S MBT is the export configuration of the MBT. According to Janes Land Warfare Platforms: Armoured Fighting Vehicles,
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