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CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand — The Indian Army has launched a young for 155mm towed howitzers, with suppliers capable of register to compete for a contract by March 8.

The transfer follows an acceptance of necessity, permitted by the Defence Acquisition Council on Nov. 30, for the towed gun techniques.

The Defence Ministry final 12 months said the weapon would “become a mainstay of artillery forces of the Indian Army.”

According to the tender doc, the Army plans to purchase 52-caliber, 155mm artillery weapons beneath the Buy Indian-IDDM acquisition class. That course of requires the participation of an Indian vendor that indigenously designed, developed and manufactured its product with a minimum of half of its content material, when it comes to price, domestically sourced.

The towed gun techniques are to be no heavier than 15 tons, and so they should have the ability to fireplace present 155mm rounds to a distance of 40-plus kilometers (25-plus miles). Its minimal service life have to be 20 years, together with a minimal barrel lifetime of 1,500 equal full costs.

The Army’s quest to area a number of thousand new artillery techniques beneath its 1999 Field Artillery Rationalisation Plan has taken a very long time to achieve momentum. But retired Lt. Gen. J.P Singh, a former deputy chief of the Army Staff for planning and techniques, and an adviser for the federal government’s Defence Research and Development Organisation, advised Defense News the modernization program is “picking up speed.”

Local media studies estimate the Army may purchase roughly 1,200 towed gun techniques, however that an preliminary order would probably contain 400 howitzers value about 65 billion rupee (U.S. $783 million).

Potential rivals

Kalyani Strategic Systems Ltd., a subsidiary of personal enterprise Bharat Forge Ltd., may supply the 13-ton Bharat-52 in addition to the 8-ton Mountain Artillery Gun-Extended Range weapon. The latter is taken into account an ultralight howitzer that may present maneuverability in mountainous areas.

State-owned Advanced Weapons and Equipment India Ltd. may pitch its 14-ton Dhanush howitzer. The group modified the 45-caliber system to satisfy 52-caliber specs with a 42-kilometer vary.

It’s additionally potential industrial conglomerate Tata may strip down the 18-ton Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System to create a lighter variant for the competitors. Incidentally, Tata and Kalyani are every competing for a contract award to supply the navy with 307 ATAGS weapons.

Foreign collaboration is permitted beneath the Buy Indian-IDDM class, which may open the door for partners Adani Defence and Aerospace and Israeli agency Elbit Systems to supply the Autonomous Towed Howitzer Ordnance System, or ATHOS.

Singh stated there had been “a positive response from numerous companies” in current competitions for gentle towed weapons and truck-mounted howitzers. As for India’s capability to supply artillery at residence, he stated trade gained expertise “during the successful design and development of the state-of-the-art ATAGS.”

“The manufacturing skills are very much prevalent in the public and private sectors. Metallurgy requirements for indigenous manufacturing are available, [though] software requirements for subsystems are not available indigenously,” he added.

India can also be on the lookout for automobiles to tow the artillery system, with native producer Ashok Leyland more likely to provide them.

1 The Indian Army must modernize its fleet of present Bofors FH-77B 155mm towed artillery items, corresponding to the instance pictured right here. (Gordon Arthur)

2 This photograph reveals a Dhanush 155mm L/39 towed howitzer, which AWEIL has since developed right into a 52-caliber gun as a contender for the TGS requirement. (Gordon Arthur)