Active Stocks
Thu Mar 28 2024 15:59:33
  1. Tata Steel share price
  2. 155.90 2.00%
  1. ICICI Bank share price
  2. 1,095.75 1.08%
  1. HDFC Bank share price
  2. 1,448.20 0.52%
  1. ITC share price
  2. 428.55 0.13%
  1. Power Grid Corporation Of India share price
  2. 277.05 2.21%
Business News/ Politics / Policy/  Army carries out exhaustive field trails of M777 ultra light howitzers in Pokhran
BackBack

Army carries out exhaustive field trails of M777 ultra light howitzers in Pokhran

Test-firing of the M777 A-2 ultra-light howitzers is aimed at collating data like trajectory, speed and frequency before the guns can be deployed along the China border

The Army had received the howitzers in May as part of an order for 145 guns. India had struck a government-to-government deal with the US last November for the supply of the 145 howitzers at a cost of nearly Rs5,000 crore.Premium
The Army had received the howitzers in May as part of an order for 145 guns. India had struck a government-to-government deal with the US last November for the supply of the 145 howitzers at a cost of nearly Rs5,000 crore.

New Delhi: Exhaustive field trials are being carried out on two long-range ultra-light howitzers in Pokhran which the Indian Army received from the US after a gap of 30 years since the Bofors scandal broke out, an official said.

The test-firing of the guns is primarily aimed at collating and determining various critical data like trajectory, speed and frequency of fire of the M-777 A-2 ultra-light howitzers (ULH) which are expected to be mostly deployed along the border with China.

The trials will continue till September for the formation of the “firing table" which is a major aspect of the overall induction process, said the Army official privy to the trials on the condition of anonymity as he is not authorised to speak to the media.

The 155 mm, 39-calibre guns will fire Indian ammunition. Three more guns will 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 trials have been going on smoothly and various data are being collected for the formation of the firing table," the official said, adding the aim was to ensure that there was no delay in the induction of the guns. The Army badly needs the howitzers considering the evolving regional security scenario.

India had last procured howitzers in the mid-1980s from Swedish defence major Bofors. The alleged pay-offs in the deal and its subsequent political ramifications had severely crippled the Indian Army’s procurement of artillery guns.

The Army had received the howitzers in May as part of an order for 145 guns. India had struck a government-to-government deal with the US last November for the supply of the 145 howitzers at a cost of nearly Rs5,000 crore.

While 25 guns will come in a fly-away condition, the rest will be assembled in India by the BAE Systems in partnership with Mahindra Defence. The Army has been pressing the government to speed up its modernisation programme.

In a major decision, the government last week had empowered the vice chief of the Army to procure critical ammunition and spares for key weapons systems to maintain combat readiness for short duration “intense wars".

The move, aimed at filling the “voids" in the Army’s combat readiness, came amid nearly a month-long standoff between the armies of India and China in the Dokalam area as well as heightened Indo-Pak tension along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir.

Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed – it's all here, just a click away! Login Now!

Catch all the Politics News and Updates on Live Mint. Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates & Live Business News.
More Less
Published: 16 Jul 2017, 03:33 PM IST
Next Story footLogo
Recommended For You
Switch to the Mint app for fast and personalized news - Get App