Pindad Welcomes Medium Tank Following a Set of Tests

Approaching the 73rd anniversary of Indonesia’s independence, PT Pindad (Persero) held a welcoming ceremony of a Medium Tank created by Indonesians on August 16, 2018, where the Tank has gone through a number of certification tests by the Army Research and Development Service (Dislitbangad). Following satisfactory results of previous tests of endurance on mines explosions on July 12 and 14, 2018, this time the Medium Tank went through its mobility tests on August 7-16, 2018.

Pindad has completed its Medium Tank development process, starting from its design up to prototyping in Indonesia, made by the nation’s sons and daughters. The birth of the Tank Medium is evident in the ability of the National Defense Industry in producing innovative products with advance technology in supporting Indonesia’s self-reliance in its defense system primary equipment (alutsista) in order to guard the country’s sovereignty.

The tests aimed to find out the Medium Tank’s mobility performance in good conditions, and to make sure that it passes the design requirements and specifications. The set of tests was part of the certification activity held by the Dislitbangad.

The tests given was dimension and equipment test, as well as track band(s) test that involve: 30% slope road test, 0,6 m upright obstacle test, parallel beam obstacle test, embankment barriers test, 45 & 60% uphill road test, hand brake on 45 & 60% uphill road test, as well as the agility test that involve: odo meter test, safe speed test and maximum speed test on the Cipali Highway, 1,6 km long of 60% uphill road test and a 4 km long of 30-45% uphill road in Sarangan, east Java, low speed test (5 km/hr) on a 10 km distance, a test on a scattered sand area, a test on sandy and bushy hills and the combat lighting test in Kebumen, central Java, as well as the 3x24 hour vehicle endurance test in Kalijati, Subang, and the off-road test in Parongrong, Subang.

The test results were satisfactory, since they fulfilled the requirements and specifications of the Indonesian Army to complete the Technical Performance tasks of the Medium Tank. The next test would be the power assault test on August 27-30, 2018. Once the set of tests are completed, the Tank is expected to fulfill the Indonesian Army’s needs of modern defense equipment.

The Medium Tank project is a long-term program in developing technological mastery with the goal of self-reliance in our defense equipment. Medium Tank belongs to the government’s 7 Strategic Developments to boost the country’s State-Owned Enterprises in the Strategic Industry’s (BUMNIS) capability to compete with foreign defense industries. Through the Medium Tank development collaboration program, Pindad has acquired the knowledge, experience and an international standard reference on Tank development.

As a gift to Indonesia’s 73rd independence anniversary, Pindad presents its Medium Tank, which has gone through a set of tests, and will still go under more tests before it is ready to be mass produced in order to complete the Indonesians’ creation of combat vehicles.