Pune: Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed an advanced instant fire detection and suppression system (AIFDSS) for armoured fighting vehicles (AFVs), aimed at detecting and suppressing fires in milliseconds.In the battlefield, soldiers inside a tank or AFV run the risk of getting hit on the vehicle’s armour as well as having a projectile penetrating it, causing the fuel or hydraulic line to rupture. This triggers a fire inside the compartment and leaves soldiers with only seconds to escape or contain the threat. Developed by the DRDO’s Centre for Fire, Explosive and Environment Safety (CFEES), this system is designed to provide an additional layer of protection to these soldiers.“We have achieved a total fire-out time of 130 milliseconds in the crew compartment and 10 seconds in the engine section during our trials. It matches the global standards. The system also has fire-data storage memory for the last 200 fire events,” a senior DRDO official from CFEES told TOI.The system uses Smart Infrared Detectors (SIRD) for rapid detection of fire in the crew compartment. Its architecture includes a display and power supply unit, alarm-cum-flasher unit, fire wire, interface units and an automatically operated fire extinguisher. “After achieving all necessary quality requirements and test results, we have offered this technology to private players for mass manufacturing,” the official said.Indian Army’s armoured formations operate in demanding environments, including the deserts and high-altitude regions, where tanks and infantry combat vehicles remain critical to land warfare. The AFVs face threats from enemy tanks, anti-tank guided missiles, rockets and other armour-piercing weapons. Thus their survival depends on the armour and the ability to prevent a penetration from becoming a fatal internal fire.“India’s T-72 and T-90 tanks are operated by three-member crews, while the Arjun main battle tank has a four-member crew. These tanks have mechanical fire-extinguishing systems, at present, which take time to douse a fire compared to systems used by foreign armies. The new system will add another layer of safety for the crew, thereby enhancing operational capability,” an armoured corps officer said.Automatic fire detection and suppression systems are already deployed on several major armoured platforms globally, including the US M1 Abrams and Israel’s Merkava tanks. “With AFVs increasingly exposed to precision anti-armour weapons, it becomes paramount to ensure the crew’s survival along with protecting the vehicle,” said the DRDO official.
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