Artillery set for modernisation with rockets, loitering ammunition, indigenous guns, UAVs

Ajay Banerjee

Advertisement

New Delhi, September 27

As part of Army’s artillery modernisation project, additions are being made to have longer range of rockets, loitering ammunition, UAVs with greater endurance besides newer indigenous guns.

Last year on emergency procurement basis, the Ministry of Defence okayed purchase of loitering ammunition for Army. These are set to be delivered now. Loitering ammunition can remain in the air for a specified period, do surveillance of targets and strike when directed from ground.

Among the multiple type of guns being inducted, include the Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS), the Sharang, ULH, Vajra and Dhanush.

Informing about ATAGS, sources said: “The firing trials went off well. The field evaluation trials have been completed.” Tata and Bharat Forge, the two manufacturers of the DRDO designed gun are ready to start production – some 170 are expected to be made in the first batch. The Director General Quality Assurance (DGQA) is testing its efficacy against dust, rains, mould etc. In another two months things should move ahead, sources said.

The Ultra Light Howtizers – in all 145 imported from US—are being inducted steadily. Seven regiments – 18 guns in each — of ULH have been inducted and deployed.

Sharang – the 130 MM gun that is being up-gunned to 155 MM – has three operational regiments, one more is on the way. In all 300 guns are to be up-gunned. “The current speed of up-gunning is two regiments per year. We need to speed up to do three regiments per year,” sources said.

The success of the K9 Vajra gun – that runs of tank-style tracks – in eastern Ladakh has led to the MoD okaying the purchase of 100 more such guns. Originally the gun was made for the desert sector; its adaption for Himalayan winter includes batteries that work in cold and lubricants that don’t freeze.

On Dhanush, sources said the first regiment is deployed, the second one is expected by March 2023.

The future of long artillery includes long-range rockets. A 75 km range guided rockets that can fire from Pinaka launcher are to be inducted. The multi-barrel ‘Smerch’ can fire for 90 km range. The DRDO has been asked to work at rocket that can fire 125 km.

One of the four Pinaka regiments have been inducted along Northern borders. Six more Pinaka regiments have been contracted and delivery was expected soon and would be equipped with electronic and mechanical weapon system capable of firing variety of ammunition over longer ranges.

With long range rockets being inducted, ariel surveillance is need to find targets. The Army is looking for vertically launched drones with 80 km range. The system will direct fire in enemy areas including beyond visual range.

Artillery plan running late by few years

The Army’s artillery modernisation has ambitious needs. Called the Field Artillery Rationalization Plan and drawn up in 1999, it talks about acquiring 2,800 guns by 2027.  Meeting these numbers could take upto a decade or more from now.

The plan talks about having all guns at same level — 155 mm. These includes 1,580 towed guns, 814 truck-mounted guns, 100 tracked self-propelled guns,180 wheeled self-propelled guns and 145 ultra-light howitzers.