![](https://bharatshakti.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/LT-BSI-Defence.gif")
The Ministry of Defence has initiated a move to modernise armoured corps training, issuing a request for information (RFI) for around 50 advanced Basic Gunnery Simulators (BGS) for the Indian Army’s T-90 tank fleet.
The proposal seeks to move a significant portion of gunnery instruction from live-firing ranges to controlled environments. This change enables crews to train under repeatable conditions, reduces costs, and minimizes equipment wear and tear.
According to the RFI, the simulators must be built to military-grade standards, capable of operating across varied terrain and extreme climatic conditions. They are expected to support both basic and advanced gunnery drills for T-90 gunners.
A key requirement is the ability to replicate combat firing conditions with high fidelity. The system should allow a gunner to carry out the complete engagement cycle from target detection and identification to tracking, ranging, aiming and firing using all onboard weapon systems. These include the 125mm main gun, 7.62mm coaxial machine gun, INVAR missile and smoke grenade launchers, all within a realistic replica of the T-90 gunner’s station.
The emphasis is on immersion, as per the RFI. The simulator must reproduce elements such as the autoloader mechanism, recoil feedback, lighting conditions and the physical jolt associated with firing the main gun. Fire control system simulation should cover the TISAS/TIFCS suite across normal, manual, and emergency modes, including ballistic solutions for different ammunition types, such as HE, HEAT, and APFSDS.
The RFI has placed artificial intelligence at the core of the training architecture. Dynamic adaptations of simulated enemy targets are necessary to provide increasing levels of difficulty or instructor-configured scenarios. The system must also support both individual and networked multiplayer missions across terrain profiles that reflect India’s western and northern borders.
Beyond scenario generation, AI is expected to play a role in performance evaluation. The system should automatically assess trainees, identify errors in engagement procedures, and provide corrective feedback to the training cycle, reducing reliance on constant instructor intervention.
An instructor control station will still oversee operations, enabling scenario programming, malfunction simulation, performance tracking and replay. An external display is also envisaged to allow other crew members to observe ongoing exercises.
Mobility and field deployment are central to the requirement. The entire simulator system must be transportable on an Ashok Leyland Stallion platform, within specified size and weight limits. It should function in temperatures ranging from -10°C to 45°C, sustain operations for up to 16 hours a day, and include an uninterrupted power supply backup of at least 30 minutes.
The simulators are expected to have a service life of 15 years. Vendors have also been asked to ensure long-term support, including a mandatory two-year advance notice before any production line shutdown, allowing the Army to stock critical spares.
The move signals a broader push within the armed forces to integrate AI-driven training systems, improving combat readiness while reducing the logistical burden of large-scale field exercises.
Team BharatShakti
