Vijay Mohan

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 7

The Army’s plans to equip its infantry combat vehicles (ICVs) with air conditioners for protecting the sensitive opto-electronic systems installed has apparently run out of gas.Not only were the trials of installing such systems, known as environmental control units (ECUs), unsuccessful as the engines persistently overheated beyond permissible limits, but 2,077 ECUs worth Rs 219.48 crore that were procured, could not be fitted in the ICVs.The BMP-2/2K ICVs are equipped with missile carriage and firing capability. They are highly sensitive and degrade under extreme heat and dust. For their efficient functioning and also to reduce fatigue of the crew, the Army had projected the need to provide ECUs on these vehicles in 2006.As per latest audit reports, the trial of the equipment was carried out on ICV for 30-km run, but the engine temperature increased to 110°C after 10 km of running, against the permissible oil and water temperature level of 80°C and 100°C, respectively. The dynamic trials were yet again carried out but the results showed that the oil and water temperature had again gone up to 105°C and 107°C, respectively. Notwithstanding these findings, the equipment was recommended by the user trial team for induction, stating that the increase in temperature was within limits.The installation of ECUs in ICVs was put on hold by the Director General Mechanised Forces due to technical flaws, resulting in overheating of the ICV engines and reduction in efficiency. Certain modifications were incorporated, but the problem of engine overheating persisted, for which no conclusive reasons/solution were found.