Army assures orders for DRDO Howitzers

Last Updated: Sunday, June 10, 2012, 14:01

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Tags: Indian Army, DRDO Howitzers, AK Antony

New Delhi: In a major boost to indigenous defence capabilities, the Indian Army has assured the DRDO an order for over 140 howitzers once the premier research agency proves its artillery guns which are under development.

DRDO's Pune-based Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) is working on to develop a 155 mm 52 calibre indigenous howitzer for the Army.

The DRDO was recently told by the Army that it will place an order for over 140 artillery howitzers if the guns being developed by the research agency are proven in field trials and are ready for induction, sources told a news agency here.

This proposal made by the Army to the DRDO was also a part of the presentation made to Defence Minister AK Antony while he was reviewing the preparedness of army's Corps of Artillery, which has not been able to induct even a single piece of howitzer for over 25 years after the Bofors gun deal scam broke out in the 80s.

During the presentation, the Defence Minister was also informed about the progress made in the development of Bofors guns being produced indigenous by the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB).

The trial of the OFB guns was done recently in the Pokhran firing ranges in presence of senior officials from the Army, which has already placed an order for 100 of these guns.

The Defence Ministry has recently approved the procurement of 145 Ultra Light Howitzers (ULHs) from the US under a Foreign Military Sales (FMS) route for being deployed in high altitude areas.

A deal for these guns is expected to be signed by the end of this fiscal and one they start getting inducted, they will be the first ones to join the army in over two decades.

DRDO had earlier developed the 105 mm field artillery guns for the Army and is still in operational service.

DRDO had started working on the development of the Bhim self-propelled howitzer about a decade back but the project was virtually scrapped after South African firm Denel was blacklisted by the ministry.

PTI

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First Published: Sunday, June 10, 2012, 14:01

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Kartikeya Semwal - Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
ARDE should 1st concentrate on successfully developing the 155mmX45 calibre Howitzer Guns which i think they have made and these guns have already gone some trials in Rajasthan. Once these guns are inducted in the Indian Army & are deployed in North Eastern areas, it would give much required deterrence to the Indian Army and would raise its moral. ARDE should then concentrate on developing the 155mmX53 calibre guns, offcourse with the help of Private Indian Companies so that these guns can also be marketed and sold to Indo-friendly countries and to India`s friendly Asian Allies, all of whom face a constant threat & bullying from our Eastern neighbor.

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Raghubir Singh - Pune
After long period of indecision-only now firm commitment for 140 indigenous 155x52 howitzers to be developed by premier Armament Research & Development Establishment could be given? DRDO has been clamoring to take up work on the gun for almost two decades while the all powerful import lobby has been actively trying sources from all over the world including South Africa and Singapore for the much needed gun. Not only DRDO but also Senior members from the Institute of Defence Scientists and Technologists had made presentation to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence indicating the feasibility as well urgency of developing the 155 mm gun system with the available indigenous technologies. Now we shall have ultra light howitzer M-777 from the US, 155x39 calibre based on Bofors being produced by OFB & the 155x52 to be developed by DRDO with many private players also in the field. With decades of experience in gun development it would be desirable if ARDE is assigned leadership role to steer the indigenous development work now fragmented across various agencies? In armaments most if the learning process is via failures which need not be repeated.