Indian Army Artillery Systems : News and Updates

L&T to deliver first lot of K9 VAJRA-T guns by the end of May

Pune: The first lot of 155 mm/52 calibre tracked self-propelled gun system, K9 VAJRA-T, developed by the Larsen and Toubro (L&T) Defence will be handed over to the Indian Army by the end of this month. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) had given a contract to the company to supply 100 guns for Rs 4,500 crore. A total of 25 guns will be delivered now.

Jayant Patil, whole-time Director (Defence) of L&T, told Sakal Times, “We have already developed the gun and are ready to deliver. We have developed 25 guns within the time frame given by the government. It has already undergone all necessary trials and tests. The rest will be delivered also on time.”

The government had given the contract to L&T in May 2017. Under the contract, which is in line with the government’s 'Make In India' initiative, L&T will deliver 100 guns, which will have over 50 per cent indigenous components, in 42 months, from its manufacturing facilities, including a new Armoured Systems Complex at Hazira in Gujarat.

L&T, along with its South Korean technology partner Hanwha Tech Win (HTW), had bid for this 'Boy Global' acquisition programme of MoD in 2011.

Later, it emerged as the sole qualified bidder out of four bidders for the programme. The bidders went through a series of user evaluations, based on the performance of the K9 VAJRA-T self-propelled Howitzer.

The gun is an enhanced version of Hanwha Tech Win's K9 Thunder - self-propelled Howitzer - and is customised and co-developed by L&T to suit the specific requirements of the Indian Army, including desert operations.

The K9 Thunder self-propelled Howitzer is considered among the best in the world with over 1,000 units already in service in Korea and few other countries.

About K9 VAJRA-t
 The K9 VAJRA-T meets the requirements of 21st century warfare, which is based on the following missions: Deep fire support with its longer firing range; qualitative superiority to overcome a numerical inferiority with its higher rate of fire and accuracy and effective and reliable fire support in all kinds of circumstances with its higher mobility and protection.
 
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Dhanush, India`s first long-range artillery gun, to undergo trial in Jaisalmer`s Pokhran next week
India's first indigenous, long-range artillery gun 'Dhanush' is all set to take a test at Jaisalmer's Pokhran field firing range. The test will be conducted next week.

The trial will be carried out in presence of representatives of Indian Army technical officers and GCF experts. Along with the trial of its long-range firepower, the performance of 'Dhanush' in heat and other adverse conditions will also be tested.

'Dhanush' has been developed by Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) and manufactured by Jabalpur-based Gun Carriage Factory (GCF). The trial of 'Dhanush' which was going on for the last five years has initially faced some major hiccups over ammunition used.

Two years back, while the trial was going on, a shell had burst in the barrel owing to which further trial was stopped. The issue was, however, resolved after a successful upgradation in the Balasore range of Odisha.

Known Indian is an upgrade version of Sweden's Bofors gun, more 80 percent of its parts are built indigenously. Bofors could hit the target at a distance of 29km, while the Dhanush hit the target at a distance of 38km.

In comparison to Bofors working on hydraulic system, it operates under the electronic system. With the help of night vision device, it can hit targets in the night. It uses 125-mm shells and can fire 5 to 6 shells in a minute. More than 400 Dhanush guns are expected to be acquired by the Army.
Dhanush, India`s first long-range artillery gun, to undergo trial in Jaisalmer`s Pokhran next week | India News
 
This is a pretty significant upgrade.

Upgraded Pinaka rocket successfully test-fired

An upgraded version of Pinaka rocket, with a guidance system and an enhanced range, was successfully test-fired from the Proof & Experiment Establishment (PXE) at Chandipur in Odisha today.

"Two rounds of tests have been conducted and some more rounds have been planned," said a defence source here.

The earlier Pinaka version, which was an unguided one, has now been upgraded into a guided version, with a navigation, guidance and control kit developed by the Research Centre, Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad, he said.

The RCI comes under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

According to a source in the DRDO, the conversion helped in enhancing the range and accuracy of Pinaka.

If its range was earlier 40 km, it is more than 70 km now, he said.

"Radars, electro-optical systems and telemetry systems at the defence range at Chandipur, tracked and monitored the rocket all through its flight path. The guided version is Pinaka mark-II, which evolved from Pinaka mark-I," the source said.

The success of the guided Pinaka has reinforced the technological strength of the country in converting the unguided systems into weapons of high precision, he added.

The guided Pinaka was developed jointly by the Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE), Pune, the RCI, and the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), Hyderabad.

The PXE, Chandipur, provided the range and launch support.
 
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Dhanush artillery gun clears final test, ready for induction: official

India's first indigenous, long-range artillery gun "Dhanush" has passed its final test at Pokhran, paving the way for its induction into the Army, a senior official said today.

Between June 2-6, fifty rounds of shells each were fired from six Dhanush guns, Gun Carriage Factory (GCF) Senior General Manager SK Singh told reporters here today.

"Six guns in battery formation (at one go and at one target) successfully fired 101 rounds on June 7," Singh informed.

He said that the GCF got the Dhanush project in October 2011 and the first prototype was made in 2014. Later, 11 more prototypes were made from which 4,200 rounds were fired.

The gun has passed tests under severe cold conditions in Sikkim and Leh and in hot and humid weather in Balasore, Odisha, Babina in Jhansi and in the desert of Pokhran in Rajasthan, Singh said.

He said that during the trial in Pokhran a year ago, the muzzle and barrel of the howitzer exploded two times.

A probe by different Ministry of Defence departments into the two incidents, however, did not find any fault with the gun, Singh said, adding that Dhanush is among the finest artillery guns in terms of accuracy.

It has a strike range of 38 kilometres and 81 per cent of its components are indigenously sourced, the official said. This, he said, would be scaled up to 90 per cent by 2019.

Singh said that 12 guns would be supplied to the Army in the current fiscal while the total number for the initial phase is 114 guns.

He said that, under an agreement to be inked soon, a total of 414 Dhanush guns would be supplied to the Army.

Manufactured by the Jabalpur-based Gun Carriage Factory (GCF), each of the 155-mm gun costs about Rs 14.50 crore while each shell costs Rs one lakh, a former top official of the factory said.

Besides features like electronic gun-laying and sighting systems, the indigenous gun's hitting range was 11 km more than the imported Bofors guns, he added.

"The Dhanush project has received support and active cooperation from other ordnance factories and PSUs such as SAIL, BEL, and many private sector companies. Their support has made the project a huge success," he said.

The gun has been developed by the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB), Kolkata, after going through design documents running into over 12,000 pages.

These documents were given to India as part of the first phase of "Transfer of Technology" (ToT) under the Bofors gun deal inked in the late 1980s, he added.

The Swedish Bofors company (now owned by Britain's BAE System) could not complete the ToT for the 155mm x 39mm calibre howitzer as the deal got embroiled in a major political row over alleged kickbacks.

Subsequently, the OFB struggled for long to produce the howitzer indigenously, he said.

This was despite the fact that it had manufactured and supplied several components and spares to keep the Bofors howitzers operational in India, especially during the Kargil War.

"The Army had been desperately looking for 155mm howitzers for more than three decades. It had roped in an Israeli company, Soltam, to upgrade the imported, Russian-made 130mm gun to 155mm at GCF. But the project, after the upgraded gun's trial, ran into issues of alleged kickbacks," the former official claimed.

Six years ago, the Defence Acquisition Council had decided to look for artillery guns within the country and asked OFB to start manufacturing howitzers.

Towards that end, former Defence Minister A K Antony inaugurated a 155-mm gun manufacturing facility at GCF on September 22, 2012.

According to defence experts, the Army needs a huge number of howitzers of different types, and Indian firms, some in partnership with foreign manufacturers, are in the race to fulfil the demand. PTI COR LAL MAS BNM RT RT


Smerch rockets from Russia hit targets during Pokhran trial

JAISALMER: Smerch guided missile-cum-multi battle rocket launched system manufactured under Indian-Russian joint venture successfully hit the target in Pokaran field firing range.

The trials of this system are completed at Pokhran field firing range in the presence of Indian army and Russian scientists. The two latest version of the system 9MMF and 9.55K were successfully launched and the trial was completely successful. Last year, the missile missed the target and fell in residential hamlet, so necessary modification were made and lacking were rectified in the missile and missiles fire trials were remade which successfully hit the targets. A team from Russia including scientist, specialist and others also came to check firing trials of upgraded version of SMERCH in Pokharan field firing range.

According to information from senior army sources, in 2012 a joint venture took place between India and Russia. The MoU took place between the Russian weapon companies Rosoboronexport and Splav ‘SPA’ and Indian defence ministry and the modern weapon was agreed to be manufactured at ordinance factories in India. At present this rocket is being manufactured at Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) in Kanpur.

Sources said that this system is being checked on various parameters at the firing range and the missile successfully hit the target at 90km. It has total five versions of which two versions 9.MMF and 9.55K were successfully launched.

Source said in last September during the trial the missile lost its direction and fell in a residential hamlet near Mohangarh village in Jaisalmer district and a big accident was averted as there was no one present at the time of incident at the hamlet, but the hamlet was gutted and a big hole was formed.

This rocket too will have the feature to change direction after firing. There is agreement between both countries to make this weapon at ordnance factories in India. At the time of war, if army finds that missile has gone in other direction then it can change the direction through remote control. This rocket after getting fired will hit the target at any condition.

The stabiliser that will be made at Kanpur will work as wings of the bird and without this the rocket will not move.

Meanwhile, sources said that DRDO is also working on PINAKA Mark-3 multi barrel rocket launcher. PINAKA Mark-2 can hit up to 60 km, whereas updated PINAKA Mark-3 can hit up to 90km and even more. DRDO is planning to develop new rocket with more range than that of Russian-supplied smerch rockets.
 
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India Receives Four M777 Ultra-Light Howitzer For Trials

The Indian Army has received four United States manufactured M777 long-range Ultra-light Howitzers (ULH) and will resume trials at Pokhran later this month. The tests were stopped following a barrel burst caused by faulty ammunition in September last year.

“Firing will resume this month and continue in August. Local ammunition will be used and tentatively 100-150 rounds will be fired,” The Hindu quoted an unnamed defense official as saying Monday.

The barrel of the US-manufactured gun had exploded when it was firing ammunition on September 2 in Pokhran. A preliminary inquiry found that the explosion took place due to faulty ammunition supplied by India’s Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) and further probe into the matter is on.

The field trials of the 155 mm, 39-calibre guns manufactured by BAE systems were being carried out at Pokhran in Rajasthan. The barrel of the gun was damaged in the explosion.

The Army had received the howitzers as part of an order for 145 guns. Three more guns are to be supplied to the Army in September 2018 for training. Thereafter, induction will commence from March 2019 onwards with five guns per month till the complete consignment is received by mid-2021.

“The M777 gun delivery programme is proceeding to plan. Major upcoming milestones include hand-over of the first ULHs to the Indian Army and the mobilisation of the Assembly, Integration and Test facility at Mahindra,” a BAE Systems spokesperson was quoted by the news daily.

India signed a $750 million dollar contract with the US in November 2016 for the procurement of 125 howitzer guns on the sidelines of the 15th India-US Military Cooperation Group (MCG).

Under the contract, 25 guns will come to India in a fly-away condition (two per month will be delivered), while 120 will be assembled at the proposed assembly integration and test facility for the weapon system in India in partnership with Mahindra Defence, located in Faridabad.

The Indian Army plans to use these Howitzers in defensive troop deployment spread across the country’s vast rugged terrain. The gun will come with laser inertial artillery pointing systems (LINAPS), maintenance, personnel training and training equipment, technical assistance, engineering and logistics support services.

The offsets, under which BAE Systems will invest about $200 million, will be pursued independently. Mahindra Defence will be in charge of assembling, integrating and testing the guns at the AIT facility.
 
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Manufacturing of Pinaka rockets not fully stabilised even after 10 years of production: CAG

Failure Analysis Board (FAB), constituted by ADRE, recommended in its January 2016 report that the root cause of failure of the rocket was probably due to structural failure of the warhead which could be due to quality errors in manufacturing process.

Further, problems such as bursting of rockets, burning chunks of propellant were observed during practice field firing of one lot in March 2016 and static and dynamic proof trials of two lots in June 2016, the report said.

Since the problems noticed during the above trials were serious in nature, the ARDE stopped production of Pinaka rockets with effect from July 2016 and constituted another FAB, the CAG said.

"However, even after constitution of the two FABs the exact problem in the manufacture of Pinaka rockets could not be pinpointed and no substantial improvement in quality of Pinaka rockets was observed since the issue of first FAB report in November 2016," the report said.

It added that in January 2017, the Secretary (Defence Production) in the Ministry of Defence also expressed his concern about the serious quality problems encountered by Pinaka rockets and indicated "lack of commitment" towards quality on the part of the OFB, which was "detrimental" to the prestigious programme of Pinaka rockets.

"Even after completion of ten years and issue of rockets to the Army till March 2017 since 2007-08, production of the Pinaka rockets has not yet been fully stabilised," report said.

"Further, due to holding of issue of rockets to Army since July 2016, 10 lots of finished Pinaka rockets valuing Rs 217 crore and unfinished Pinaka rockets and its components valuing Rs 71.36 crore, and work-in-progress and stores valuing Rs 189.75 crore were lying at OD Chanda as of July 2017," it said.
 
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Have we forgotten completely about ATAGS guns both made by Punj Lloyd and L&T. These guns, were tested in Sikkim last year but summer trials all but forgotten.

Is there a design to delay those highly mobile guns in favour of M777, Vajra, and Dhanush or simply lack of Army’s interest is behind it.
 
Hari Sud said:
Have we forgotten completely about ATAGS guns both made by Punj Lloyd and L&T. These guns, were tested in Sikkim last year but summer trials all but forgotten.

Is there a design to delay those highly mobile guns in favour of M777, Vajra, and Dhanush or simply lack of Army’s interest is behind it.
Click to expand...
All examples you mentioned are different classes of guns. ATAGS is a world-beating design, the wait is worth it. It will come in thousands.
 
Procurement of Indian rocket system on Armenia’s radar - Times of India

KM Rajan, the director of the laboratory, told TOI on Friday, “Armenia has shown an interest in the Pinaka rocket system and so we carried out extensive firing trials for their delegation last month at Pokhran in Rajasthan. The results were excellent. Since it is a government-to-government decision, we are yet to receive word about an official agreement of the procurement. Armenia is interested in both the versions of the rocket.”

Several foreign delegations, including Armenia, had visited the defence expo at Chennai this year. “Southeast Asian countries have also expressed an interest in the Pinaka system, but they are yet to officially approach the Indian government,” said a senior scientist of the ARDE.

The laboratory is all set to carry out technical trials of the newly developed guided Pinaka missile, which has a range of up to 80km, at Pokhran and Balasore in Odisha next month. “We will check the accuracy and range capabilities at the Pokhran and Balasore facilities. During these trials, our focus will be on achieving pinpoint targeting, which is an essential requirement. Thereafter, the army will carry out its own trials of the rocket before accepting the system,” said Rajan, adding that the DRDO plans to operationalize the new version by 2020.


Modi govt's major boost to Make in India, Army to buy 140 home-made artillery guns

The defence ministry will consider this proposal of buying more than 140 ATAGS howitzers along with close to 200 vehicles, which will be used for towing the guns as well as carrying their ammunition and other spare parts during operations by the Army at a high-level meeting planned to be held this week, government sources told MyNation.
 
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MoD clears Rs 460-bn purchase of missiles, guns and naval helicopters

In a badly-needed fillip to Army firepower, the DAC approved the manufacture of 150 indigenously designed and developed Advanced Towed Artillery Gun Systems

In a badly-needed fillip to Army firepower, the DAC approved the manufacture of 150 indigenously designed and developed Advanced Towed Artillery Gun Systems (ATAGS) at an approximate cost of Rs 33.65 billion.

These guns, which the ministry terms "the mainstay of artillery in the near future" are being procured under the "Make – Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured (IDDM)" category. The Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) has overseen their development and two private firms will build the guns in parallel -- the Kalyani Group and Tata Power (Strategic Engineering Division).

The plan is to eventually induct about 1,500 ATAGS. The current order is a preliminary batch that will be used to continue gun development.
 
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Gun-novation: Indigenous howitzer to undergo firing trials in November

Gun-novation: Indigenous howitzer to undergo firing trials in November
default-user.png


  • Sandeep Unnithan
  • New Delhi
  • September 14, 2018
  • UPDATED: September 14, 2018 19:07 IST
HIGHLIGHTS
  • Truck-mounted howitzer to undergo its maiden firing trials in November this year
  • MGS developed by GCF Jabalpur was first unveiled at Defexpo this April
  • Designed by GCF Jabalpur, MGS builds on OFB's successful Dhanush 155x45 mm howitzer
MGS_Truck_Mounted_Howitzer_Indian_Army.jpeg


Indigenous howitzer to undergo firing trials in November this year | Photo courtesy: Sandeep Unnithan

An indigenously designed, developed and manufactured truck mounted howitzer is to undergo its maiden firing trials in November this year.

The Mounted Gun System (MGS) developed by the Gun Carriage Factory (GCF) Jabalpur was first unveiled at the Defexpo in Chennai this April.

Senior Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) officials told India Today that the internal firing trials at the Proof Establishment in Balasore would validate not just the gun but also its integration with the 8x8 Tatra vehicle on which it is mounted.

The test of a new gun system - the fifth type in a series of Army howitzer requirement projected nearly two decades ago - comes at a time when the Army has begun receiving its first guns in over 30 years.

This year the Army will start inducting M-777 Ultra Light Howitzers and K-9 Vajra self-propelled howitzers and has received a first batch of six Dhanush howitzers, India's first indigenously developed long range howitzer, after they successfully completed firing trials in Leh and Pokhran.

IMG_2968-647x3024.jpg

Mounted Gun System developed by Gun Carriage Factory Jabalpur was first unveiled at Defexpo in Chennai this April | Photo courtesy: Sandeep Unnithan

No new artillery had been purchased since the bribery scandal that followed the March 1986 deal for 41 FH-77B Bofors howitzers.

MOUNTED GUN SYSTEM

Unlike towed artillery which have to be hauled into the battlefield by multi-wheeled trucks, MGS' are guns mounted on a high-mobility truck. These guns can be brought into battle much faster, carry 18 artillery shells on board and are useful to support mobile infantry in the plains and deserts.

The MGS has a range of over 40 km and will be offered to the Army for user trails after several rounds of internal trials.

Apart from the fact that it is Indian designed, developed and manufactured, one of the biggest advantages of our gun is its commonality of spares, functionality and training with the Army's existing Bofors and Dhanush howitzers.​
- A senior OFB official told India Today

The gun has a modular design with shoot and scoot capability and can fire in all weather conditions and by day and night. It has a GPS aided Inertial Navigation System and a day and night firing capability.

It carries a backup emergency power pack and its all-wheel drive ensures maximum traction in cross-country operations. The specially modified truck has hydraulically operated rear stabilisers to steady the vehicle while firing. The cabin has been reinforced to withstand the shock waves during operations.

Truck_Mounted_Howitzer_Indian_Army-647x3024.jpg

Mounted Gun System developed by Gun Carriage Factory Jabalpur was first unveiled at Defexpo in Chennai this April | Photo courtesy: Sandeep Unnithan

Designed by GCF Jabalpur, the MGS builds on the OFB's successful Dhanush 155x45 mm howitzer. The Dhanush was built from blueprints supplied by the Swedish gun maker as part of the 1986 purchase. The Army has indicated a total requirement of 414 howitzers.

The MGS is being developed in anticipation of an order from the Army.​
- An OFB official said

The Army's requirement for 814 MGS howitzers worth Rs 8,547 crore was given an Acceptance of Necessity (AON) by the Defence Acquisition Council in September 2011.

The AON has since expired and it is still unclear whether the Army will want such a system in the near-term.

Over the next five years, the Army will get 100 Vajras, 145 ULH, 114 Dhanush and 300 130 mm howitzers upgunned to 155 /45 caliber. I don't see a new howitzer programme on the horizon.​
- Says Lt General P Ravi Shankar, former DG Artillery

BUY AND MAKE PROGRAMME

As many as 200 guns are to be bought off the shelf and the remainder to be built within the country through technology transfers to an Indian partner with all deliveries to be completed by the end of the 13th five-year defence plan ending in 2022.

OFB officials say they will pursue the MGS as an export case, in case the Army does not want the gun. The Dhanush, they say, has already received preliminary inquiries from prospective buyers in the Middle East.

FIELD ARTILLERY RATIONALISATION PLAN

The MGS is part of a massive purchase of over 2,800 howitzers as part of its Field Artillery Rationalisation Plan (FARP) launched after the Kargil War in 1999.

The FARP envisages standardising the artillery regiments into four types of howitzers-towed by trucks, mounted on a tank chassis, on a wheeled vehicle and ultra-light guns that can be airlifted into battle by helicopters.

Two of the Army's biggest procurements in the past four years were for howitzers - 145 M-777 Ultra-Light Howitzers for $737 million from the US in November 2016 and an April 2017 deal worth Rs 4,600 crore for 100 K-9 'Vajra' tracked howitzers from South Korea's Hanwa-Tecwin.
 
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ni8mare said:
Gun-novation: Indigenous howitzer to undergo firing trials in November

Gun-novation: Indigenous howitzer to undergo firing trials in November
default-user.png


  • Sandeep Unnithan
  • New Delhi
  • September 14, 2018
  • UPDATED: September 14, 2018 19:07 IST
HIGHLIGHTS
  • Truck-mounted howitzer to undergo its maiden firing trials in November this year
  • MGS developed by GCF Jabalpur was first unveiled at Defexpo this April
  • Designed by GCF Jabalpur, MGS builds on OFB's successful Dhanush 155x45 mm howitzer
MGS_Truck_Mounted_Howitzer_Indian_Army.jpeg


Indigenous howitzer to undergo firing trials in November this year | Photo courtesy: Sandeep Unnithan

An indigenously designed, developed and manufactured truck mounted howitzer is to undergo its maiden firing trials in November this year.

The Mounted Gun System (MGS) developed by the Gun Carriage Factory (GCF) Jabalpur was first unveiled at the Defexpo in Chennai this April.

Senior Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) officials told India Today that the internal firing trials at the Proof Establishment in Balasore would validate not just the gun but also its integration with the 8x8 Tatra vehicle on which it is mounted.

The test of a new gun system - the fifth type in a series of Army howitzer requirement projected nearly two decades ago - comes at a time when the Army has begun receiving its first guns in over 30 years.

This year the Army will start inducting M-777 Ultra Light Howitzers and K-9 Vajra self-propelled howitzers and has received a first batch of six Dhanush howitzers, India's first indigenously developed long range howitzer, after they successfully completed firing trials in Leh and Pokhran.

IMG_2968-647x3024.jpg

Mounted Gun System developed by Gun Carriage Factory Jabalpur was first unveiled at Defexpo in Chennai this April | Photo courtesy: Sandeep Unnithan

No new artillery had been purchased since the bribery scandal that followed the March 1986 deal for 41 FH-77B Bofors howitzers.

MOUNTED GUN SYSTEM

Unlike towed artillery which have to be hauled into the battlefield by multi-wheeled trucks, MGS' are guns mounted on a high-mobility truck. These guns can be brought into battle much faster, carry 18 artillery shells on board and are useful to support mobile infantry in the plains and deserts.

The MGS has a range of over 40 km and will be offered to the Army for user trails after several rounds of internal trials.

Apart from the fact that it is Indian designed, developed and manufactured, one of the biggest advantages of our gun is its commonality of spares, functionality and training with the Army's existing Bofors and Dhanush howitzers.​
- A senior OFB official told India Today

The gun has a modular design with shoot and scoot capability and can fire in all weather conditions and by day and night. It has a GPS aided Inertial Navigation System and a day and night firing capability.

It carries a backup emergency power pack and its all-wheel drive ensures maximum traction in cross-country operations. The specially modified truck has hydraulically operated rear stabilisers to steady the vehicle while firing. The cabin has been reinforced to withstand the shock waves during operations.

Truck_Mounted_Howitzer_Indian_Army-647x3024.jpg

Mounted Gun System developed by Gun Carriage Factory Jabalpur was first unveiled at Defexpo in Chennai this April | Photo courtesy: Sandeep Unnithan

Designed by GCF Jabalpur, the MGS builds on the OFB's successful Dhanush 155x45 mm howitzer. The Dhanush was built from blueprints supplied by the Swedish gun maker as part of the 1986 purchase. The Army has indicated a total requirement of 414 howitzers.

The MGS is being developed in anticipation of an order from the Army.​
- An OFB official said

The Army's requirement for 814 MGS howitzers worth Rs 8,547 crore was given an Acceptance of Necessity (AON) by the Defence Acquisition Council in September 2011.

The AON has since expired and it is still unclear whether the Army will want such a system in the near-term.

Over the next five years, the Army will get 100 Vajras, 145 ULH, 114 Dhanush and 300 130 mm howitzers upgunned to 155 /45 caliber. I don't see a new howitzer programme on the horizon.​
- Says Lt General P Ravi Shankar, former DG Artillery

BUY AND MAKE PROGRAMME

As many as 200 guns are to be bought off the shelf and the remainder to be built within the country through technology transfers to an Indian partner with all deliveries to be completed by the end of the 13th five-year defence plan ending in 2022.

OFB officials say they will pursue the MGS as an export case, in case the Army does not want the gun. The Dhanush, they say, has already received preliminary inquiries from prospective buyers in the Middle East.

FIELD ARTILLERY RATIONALISATION PLAN

The MGS is part of a massive purchase of over 2,800 howitzers as part of its Field Artillery Rationalisation Plan (FARP) launched after the Kargil War in 1999.

The FARP envisages standardising the artillery regiments into four types of howitzers-towed by trucks, mounted on a tank chassis, on a wheeled vehicle and ultra-light guns that can be airlifted into battle by helicopters.

Two of the Army's biggest procurements in the past four years were for howitzers - 145 M-777 Ultra-Light Howitzers for $737 million from the US in November 2016 and an April 2017 deal worth Rs 4,600 crore for 100 K-9 'Vajra' tracked howitzers from South Korea's Hanwa-Tecwin.
Click to expand...
From what I remember IA want 52 cal not 45.
 
Press Information Bureau
Government of India
Ministry of Defence
13-April-2018 14:31 IST
BEML & OFB launches Force Multiplier 155mm 52 Cal Mounted Gun system

Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) and Bharat Earth Movers Ltd. (BEML) have unveiled its latest product viz 155mm 52 Cal Mounted Gun system at a function held at the ongoing DefExpo 2018 in Chennai. It was launched jointly by CMD, BEML Shri Deepak Kumar Hota and DGOF & Chairman OFB Shri S K Chourasia.

The uniqueness of this project is that it has been completely and independently designed and manufactured by OFB in association with BEML & BEL and is therefore a shining example of ‘Make in India’. The gun is equipped with the state-of-the-art laying and sighting system such as GPS aided INS, muzzle velocity feeder data management, day and night firing, ballasting computer system capability.

The base vehicle used for the gun system is the BEML-TATRA 8X8 truck with all differential lockable and a powerful 300 KW (402 HP) engine, which provides it a power to weight ratio of more than 10KW/ton. This is a high mobility vehicle with independent wheel suspension and swinging half axles to provide enhanced cross-country mobility. The vehicle has a cruising speed of 80 km/hr on road and more than 30 km/hr in cross-country and has a cruising range of 1000 km without refuelling.

The armament used in the 155 mm 52 Cal has a target destruction capability of approximately 42 kms. The Gun System combines with the advantage of high mobility performance of a truck with accurate long range fire power of a 155 mm 52 Cal gun and with its onboard ammunition storage capability of 18 rounds of HE shells as well as 18 BMCS and 2-6 chargers. It can be automatically deployed in any terrain and can perform a mission independently.

With its high strategic manoeuvrability in all types of terrain it will serve as an all weather reinforcement for the infantry and will be a present force multiplier for the Indian artillery.

SRR/NAo/Rajib
 
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