Government auditor slams Indian Army for T-90S air-conditioning failures

India's Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has censured the Indian Army for spending INR90.83 billion (USD1.47 billion) since 2001 on 657 Russian T90S main battle tanks (MBTs) that do not have air conditioning.

In a report tabled in parliament on 18 February, the CAG also reproached the Ministry of Defence (MoD) for agreeing to license-build another 1000 T90Ss at the Heavy Vehicles Factory (HVF) in southern India under a separate INR3 billion contract, also without air conditioning.

The CAG revealed that other than crew discomfort, the absence of air conditioning affected the "performance of the MBT's fire control system, thermal imaging (TI) sights and missile firing mechanisms due to their prolonged exposure to heat and dust conditions".

Sumber : Janes