SOURCE: IDRW.ORG
India’s state-owned engineering giant, Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), is inviting private sector participation in the design and development of a hydraulically operated Main Winch for the Arjun Armoured Recovery and Repair Vehicle (ARRV). The initiative is part of the larger goal to enhance the indigenous development of defense technologies under the Atmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India) initiative.
The proposed winch system, with a 50-ton single-line pull capacity, will be a crucial component for the Arjun ARRV, enabling it to perform critical recovery operations in the field. The double capstan-type winch design will offer operational flexibility and control, particularly in high-load recovery scenarios.
The hydraulic main winch for the Arjun ARRV is intended to be a compact yet powerful system that can withstand the demands of military recovery operations. The key features and design requirements include:
Compact Design for Arjun ARRV Hull: Space management is critical inside the Arjun ARRV hull, and the winch system must be designed to fit within the limited space available without compromising its performance. This necessitates a compact and efficient design that maximizes space utilization while ensuring durability and strength.
Double Capstan Design: The winch will be a double capstan type, wherein the rope under tension enters the winch and winds itself around two capstan drums. These drums are grooved to prevent axial slipping of the rope during high-tension operations. This design ensures a secure grip on the rope, even under extreme loads.
Nominal Tension and Storage: Once the rope passes through the capstans, it leaves with reduced tension and is then stored on a winding drum. To maintain synchronization, drives will be provided to both capstans to ensure they rotate at the same RPM. The speed of the storage drum will be mechanically or hydraulically adjusted to match the rotation of the capstan winch, ensuring smooth operation.
Hydrostatic Drives for Flexibility: The system will incorporate hydrostatic drives for the storage drum, which allow for steplessly variable speeds. This feature offers significant operational flexibility, especially during the intricate task of winching heavy loads. When very high loads need to be recovered or inching is required for precise operations, hydrostatic drives will provide the necessary control and power management.
Once the initial design phase is completed, a prototype of the hydraulically operated main winch will be engineered and installed on recovery tanks for performance evaluation. This phase will involve rigorous testing under various operational conditions to ensure the winch meets the stringent requirements of military recovery operations.
Upon successful validation of the prototype, the winch system will be extended for use in the Arjun ARRV. The design will also be scalable, allowing for variations in winching capacity based on the specifications and requirements of different armored recovery vehicles (ARVs). This adaptability will ensure the technology can be used across a wide range of platforms, making it a versatile solution for the Indian military’s recovery needs.
The development of this hydraulically operated winch system is not limited to the Arjun ARRV alone. The technology will be extended to other armored recovery variants used by the Indian Army, with the winching capacity adjusted according to the operational requirements of each vehicle. This scalability will provide a unified solution for recovery operations across multiple platforms, streamlining the manufacturing and maintenance processes.
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