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$650m US howitzer deal may give Army welcome firepower

Dark Angel

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WASHINGTON/NEW DELHI: India has now moved closer to buying 145 ultra-light howitzers, which can be swiftly deployed in forward and inaccessible areas by helicopters and aircraft, from the US in a direct government-to-government deal worth $647 million.

The American Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) has now notified the US Congress of the Obama administration's intention to sell 145 M777 howitzers to India, surprisingly asserting that the sale will boost `interoperability' between Indian and American soldiers and marines.

The mandatory notification follows a request from India for the light-weight towed howitzers, with laser inertial artillery pointing systems and other equipment, which could well be the first 155mm artillery gun purchase by New Delhi after the star-crossed Swedish Bofors deal going back to the 1980s.

Sources say the procurement of the air-mobile howitzers is in tune with the Indian Army's `cold start' war doctrine, which revolves around the strategy to mobilise fast and strike hard as well as strengthen `threatened sectors' in a hurry.

The all-weather howitzers, with a 25-30 km range, will also come in handy for supporting Para-Special Force battalions while they operate behind enemy lines and in `out-of-area contingencies'.

Moreover, the two new mountain divisions being raised primarily for the eastern front with China, with around 15,000 soldiers each, are also to be equipped with these ultra-light howitzers manufactured by BAE Systems.

The DSCA, on its part, said, "India intends to use the howitzers to modernise its armed forces and enhance its ability to operate in hazardous conditions.''

The proposed sale, without altering the basic military balance in the region, will `contribute' to US foreign policy and national security "by helping to strengthen the US-India strategic relationship''.

"It will also improve the security of an important partner which continues to be an important force for political stability, peace, and economic progress in South Asia,'' added DSCA.


Indian Army's long-delayed Rs 20,000 crore artillery modernisation programme is yet to kick-off, with the acquisition of different types of 155mm guns still stuck in different stages due to scandals.

The only ultra-light howitzer to make it to the trial stage in India, the Pegasus gun of Singapore Technology Kinetics (STK), has been virtually knocked out of the race.

The M777 howitzer was originally developed by the British Vickers group, but is now produced by BAE Land Systems in US. It has largely replaced the M198 howitzer 155mm towed howitzers in the US Marine Corps and Army, and has seen action both in Afghanistan and Iraq.

US, of course, is now increasingly cornering a major chunk of the lucrative Indian arms market, having already bagged the $2.1 billion contract for eight Boeing P-8I long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft and the $962 million deal for six C-130J Super Hercules planes.

The stage is now also set for what will be the largest-ever Indo-US defence, with New Delhi formally approaching Washington for another FMS deal to acquire 10 C-17 Globemaster-III giant strategic airlift aircraft, each of which comes for over a whopping $220 million, as reported by TOI earlier.


$650m US howitzer deal may give Army welcome firepower - India - The Times of India
 
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Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified the US Congress of a possible foreign military sale (FMS) to India of 145 M777 155mm light-weight towed howitzers with laser inertial artillery pointing systems (LINAPS) and associated equipment, training and logistical support for a complete package worth approximately $647 million.

According to the DSCA, “this proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to strengthen the US-India strategic relationship and to improve the security of an important partner which continues to be an important force for political stability, peace, and economic progress in South Asia.”

The agency further explains that India intends to use the howitzers to modernise its armed forces and enhance its ability to operate in hazardous conditions. According to the official press release of the DSCA, the howitzers will assist the Indian Army to develop and enhance standardisation and to improve interoperability with US soldiers and Marines who use the M777 as their primary means of indirect fire.

The principal contractors will be BAE Systems; Watervliet Arsenal, Seiler Instrument Company, Triumph Actuation Systems, Taylor Devices, Hutchinson Industries, and UK-based Selex.
 
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M777 is to replace M198


The M198 howitzer is a medium-sized, towed artillery piece In service with pakistan army. It can be dropped by parachute or transported by a Helicopter.

Weight 7,154 kg (15,772 lb)
Length 11 m (36 ft 2 in) in firing position; 12.3 m (40 ft 6 in) in towing position
Width 2.8 m (9 ft 2 in) in towing position
Height 2.9 m (9 ft 6 in) in towing position
Crew 9 enlisted men


Caliber 155 mm
Rate of fire 4 round/min maximum; 2 round/min sustained
Maximum range 22,400 m (14 miles) with conventional ammo; 30,000 m (18.6 miles) with rocket propelled
 
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The M198 howitzer is a medium-sized, towed artillery piece In service with pakistan army. It can be dropped by parachute or transported by a Helicopter.

Weight 7,154 kg (15,772 lb)
Length 11 m (36 ft 2 in) in firing position; 12.3 m (40 ft 6 in) in towing position
Width 2.8 m (9 ft 2 in) in towing position
Height 2.9 m (9 ft 6 in) in towing position
Crew 9 enlisted men


Caliber 155 mm
Rate of fire 4 round/min maximum; 2 round/min sustained
Maximum range 22,400 m (14 miles) with conventional ammo; 30,000 m (18.6 miles) with rocket propelled



The M777 howitzer is a towed artillery piece developed by British Vickers group. It has been used in action in March 2008 in Afghanistan along with the associated GPS-guided Excalibur ammunition

Weight 3,175 kg (7,000 lb)
Length 10.7 m (35 ft) in firing position; 9.5 m (31 ft 2 in) towed position
Barrel length 39 calibers
Crew 5


Caliber 155 mm
Carriage split trail
Rate of fire 2 RPM normal, 5 RPM max.
Effective range 24 km (15mi) with M109 ammunition,
30 km (18.6mi) with ERFB base-bleed,
40 km (25mi) with Excalibur


M982 Excalibur guided artillery shell

Initial combat experience with Excalibur in Iraq in the summer of 2007 was so successful (92% of rounds falling within 4 meters of the target) that the US Army planned to increase the production rate to 150 rounds per month vs the previous 18 rounds per month

afb09783ec63c5dea34cce43bc0cdfce.jpg
 
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Indian Army to Execute $4 Billion Artillery Projects

India is all set to initiate the long-awaited $4 billion artillery modernisation programme and will shortly float a global tender for the acquisition of 814 motorised howitzers.

The Artillery modernisation programme aims to induct roughly 2,814 guns of different types.

Defence Ministry sources said that the project has been granted approval by the Defence Acquisitions Council which is chaired by Defence Minister A K Antony and the Request for Proposal will be issued.

The artillery modernization includes off-the-shelf purchase of 200 155mm/52-calibre mounted gun systems from overseas, which will be followed by indigenous manufacture of another 614 such howitzers under transfer of technology.

The 17-tonne motorized howitzers will arm 40 regiments.

Another major project includes the purchase of 100 155mm/52-calibre self-propelled tracked guns for five artillery regiments and its field trials are slated for May-June 2010.

India is also looking to finalize the Rs 8,000 crore project to buy 400 155mm/52-calibre towed artillery guns, which is to be followed by indigenous manufacture of another 1,180 howitzers.

The contenders are BAE Systems, ST Kinetics of Singapore and Israeli Soltam.

Another project was to acquire 140 air-mobile ultra-light howitzers (ULHs) for Rs 2,900 crore. This is being eagerly awaited since the Indian Army needs ULHs to ensure artillery can be deployed in remote inaccessible areas.

Indian Army to Execute $4 Billion Artillery Projects | India Defence Online
 
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Specifications
Caliber: 155 mm
Guidance: GPS/INS
Unit cost: $80,000 [16]
Range:
Block 1a-1: 23 km
Block 1a-2: 35 km to 40 km


M982 Excalibur - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This thing costs 80000$ a piece!:what:.Will we be buyin these shells??
I would love to see em with our forces.Having an accuracy of within 4 meters, these shells would be devastating!:cheers:
 
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Specifications
Caliber: 155 mm
Guidance: GPS/INS
Unit cost: $80,000 [16]
Range:
Block 1a-1: 23 km
Block 1a-2: 35 km to 40 km


M982 Excalibur - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This thing costs 80000$ a piece!:what:.Will we be buyin these shells??
I would love to see em with our forces.Having an accuracy of within 4 meters, these shells would be devastating!:cheers:


These shell do cost a lot but given the fact that it is GPS guided and has accuracy of 4 meter it will be very effective in busting bunkers and himalay shelling, I am sure India will get a upper hand with this system :mps:
 
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These shell do cost a lot but given the fact that it is GPS guided and has accuracy of 4 meter it will be very effective in busting bunkers and himalay shelling, I am sure India will get a upper hand with this system :mps:

Itna paisa nahi hai India ke pass.

India definitely cant buy these in good numbers. What we can do is to float a seperate contract to produce them locally with help of the companies producing it. My math simply doesnt support procurement of a shell with is that costly.

Btw dark it will be gr8 if you can post prices of rounds of different artillery pieces so we can compare then in a better manner.
 
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Itna paisa nahi hai India ke pass.

India definitely cant buy these in good numbers. What we can do is to float a seperate contract to produce them locally with help of the companies producing it. My math simply doesnt support procurement of a shell with is that costly.

Btw dark it will be gr8 if you can post prices of rounds of different artillery pieces so we can compare then in a better manner.

I do agree with u .Even United States produces 150 rounds a year.We gotta find a cost effective way to produce these rounds.By the way these rounds are ment for pricision strikes(on high value targets) only.Therefore their required numbers will be much lower than the normal shells
 
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A 155mm artillery shell should do the trick (only 20 pounds of explosives each), but at long range (20 kilometers or more), some of these shells will hit the civilians. That's because at that range, an unguided 155mm shell can land up to 100 meters from where you aimed it. This is where Excalibur comes in handy. The GPS guided Excalibur shell falls within a ten meter circle (the middle of that circle being the "aim point") no matter what the range. After a year of use in Iraq, the troops find Excalibur invaluable for hitting just what you want to hit, and with a minimal amount of bang.

Excalibur was developed in the United States, in cooperation with Swedish engineers, The Excalibur was originally supposed to cost under $50,000 each, and with more being produced, the per-shell price will fall. Currently, 150 Excaliburs are being produced each month. Developing electronics and control systems that fit inside a 155mm diameter shell, and survive being fired out of a cannon, proved more difficult than expected. That's why a GPS guided smart bomb only costs about $30,000, while the first hundred or so Excaliburs cost a lot more.

For most nations, the drawback is cost. A "dumb" 155mm shell costs under a thousand dollars
 
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This was a necessary step ,delayed by a decade due to babudom
Procurement of such artillery will folllow with indigenous production by tot, which drop the costs and will let the army to customize the systems.
These machines would be very useful in hitting enemy bunkers & terrorist hideouts 'precisely',without crossing border,.

I think it has increased work for pakistan army to shift the terrorist training camps and launch pads further away from the loc, . !
 
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