Bangalore: Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee will hand over the first batch of five Arjun, the Main Battle Tank (MBT), produced at the Heavy Vehicles Factory, Avadi on August 7 to the Indian Army.

Chief of Army Staff General N C Vij will receive the indigenously designed and developed MBTs from the Defence Minister, a Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) statement said in Bangalore today (Aug 2, 2004).

The armoured fighting vehicle MBT Arjun was designed and developed by DRDO's Combat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment (CVRDE) at Avadi near Chennai and has high degree of mobility, superior firepower and excellent protection, it said.

Heavy Vehicles Factory began producing the five Arjun's in 2000 after the Army placed an indent following successful user-cum-technical trials.

The MBT is equipped with an indigenously developed 120 mm gun, besides a specially developed "KANCHAN" armour resulting in high level of protection.

The tank has a home-grown hydro-gas suspension which offers rider comfort, eliminating fatigue on extended runs.

"The special systems which include integrated fire detection and suppression system, nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) system, advanced communication system provide added capabilities to the Arjun Tank," DRDO said.