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NEW DELHI — India has built an improved version of the original 155mm howitzer the Army bought in 1987 by upgrading the barrel from 39mm to 45mm.
The upgraded gun, named Dhanush, has successfully cleared both winter and summer trials, says an April 27 Ministry of Defence release.
"The indigenously designed and manufactured 155mm x 45mm caliber artillery gun, Dhanush, has successfully met all technical parameters during the winter and summer trials," the release said.
The state-owned Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) began upgrading the howitzer, bought from the erstwhile Bofors of Sweden, now BAE Systems, based on schematics supplied by the company under a technology transfer agreement.
However, in 2013 winter trials the upgraded barrel burst. In-house engineering at OFB helped change the metallurgy of the gun, an MoD official said, claiming that the Dhanush now has met all Army requirements after the winter and summer trials.
An Army officer said the service has already ordered 114 of the guns, but refused to confirm whether Dhanush has met all service requirements.
The Army is desperate to acquire the weapon as it has not been able to buy a single howitzer since 1987, despite a 1999 long-term plan to convert all existing artillery guns to 155mm/52 caliber at a cost of more than US $6 billion
Bengaluru, April 27: The Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirmed on Monday that the home-grown 155 mm x 45 mm calibre artillery howitzer -- Dhanush -- has successfully completed the rigorous winter and summer trials. The Dhanush, often dubbed as the Indian version of the Swedish-made Bofors gun, has now cleared all technical parameters during the trials conducted by the Indian Army. Dhanush The MoD quoted Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar informing the members of Parliament Consultative Committee that Dhanush incorporates many state-of-the-art improved features. Dhanush is priced approximately around Rs 12-14 crore, which is almost half the price of an artillery gun in its class. "The minister informed the committee, attached to the MoD, that Dhanush has many embedded features better than the guns which the Indian Army currently posses," MoD sources said. Dhanush had undergone extensive trials at Khetolai in Pokhran as well. The Indian Army had waited for over three decades to strengthen its firing units with a 155-mm artillery gun. Dhanush trials Dhanush has a better range compared to Bofors The MoD said that the Consultative Committee was discussing the ‘role performance and future' of Ordnance Factory Board (OFB), the largest and oldest production unit in the country. The OFB is a conglomerate of 39 ordnance factories with two new projects coming up in Nalanda (Bihar) and Korwa (UP). Sources said that Dhanush has a better range compared to Bofors and its electronic sighting/laying system for the targets is far superior to those imported in the 1980s. Parrikar is said to have informed the committee that in addition to Dhanush, the OFB has also developed a home-grown 40-mm Multi Grenade Launcher (MGL) for 40 x 46 mm Low Velocity Grenades (LVG). The MoD said that assault rifle ‘Ghaatak' (7.62 x 39 mm) developed through desi R&D too has met all the parameters as per the General Staff Qualitative Requirements (GSQRs). Ghaatak was evaluated by the paramilitary forces under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). Keeping in the NDA government's Make in India policy, MoD quoted Parrikar saying that the OFB would be made into a lead integrator of major platforms and as a manufacturer of world class defence equipment.
The upgraded gun, named Dhanush, has successfully cleared both winter and summer trials, says an April 27 Ministry of Defence release.
"The indigenously designed and manufactured 155mm x 45mm caliber artillery gun, Dhanush, has successfully met all technical parameters during the winter and summer trials," the release said.
The state-owned Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) began upgrading the howitzer, bought from the erstwhile Bofors of Sweden, now BAE Systems, based on schematics supplied by the company under a technology transfer agreement.
However, in 2013 winter trials the upgraded barrel burst. In-house engineering at OFB helped change the metallurgy of the gun, an MoD official said, claiming that the Dhanush now has met all Army requirements after the winter and summer trials.
An Army officer said the service has already ordered 114 of the guns, but refused to confirm whether Dhanush has met all service requirements.
The Army is desperate to acquire the weapon as it has not been able to buy a single howitzer since 1987, despite a 1999 long-term plan to convert all existing artillery guns to 155mm/52 caliber at a cost of more than US $6 billion
Bengaluru, April 27: The Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirmed on Monday that the home-grown 155 mm x 45 mm calibre artillery howitzer -- Dhanush -- has successfully completed the rigorous winter and summer trials. The Dhanush, often dubbed as the Indian version of the Swedish-made Bofors gun, has now cleared all technical parameters during the trials conducted by the Indian Army. Dhanush The MoD quoted Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar informing the members of Parliament Consultative Committee that Dhanush incorporates many state-of-the-art improved features. Dhanush is priced approximately around Rs 12-14 crore, which is almost half the price of an artillery gun in its class. "The minister informed the committee, attached to the MoD, that Dhanush has many embedded features better than the guns which the Indian Army currently posses," MoD sources said. Dhanush had undergone extensive trials at Khetolai in Pokhran as well. The Indian Army had waited for over three decades to strengthen its firing units with a 155-mm artillery gun. Dhanush trials Dhanush has a better range compared to Bofors The MoD said that the Consultative Committee was discussing the ‘role performance and future' of Ordnance Factory Board (OFB), the largest and oldest production unit in the country. The OFB is a conglomerate of 39 ordnance factories with two new projects coming up in Nalanda (Bihar) and Korwa (UP). Sources said that Dhanush has a better range compared to Bofors and its electronic sighting/laying system for the targets is far superior to those imported in the 1980s. Parrikar is said to have informed the committee that in addition to Dhanush, the OFB has also developed a home-grown 40-mm Multi Grenade Launcher (MGL) for 40 x 46 mm Low Velocity Grenades (LVG). The MoD said that assault rifle ‘Ghaatak' (7.62 x 39 mm) developed through desi R&D too has met all the parameters as per the General Staff Qualitative Requirements (GSQRs). Ghaatak was evaluated by the paramilitary forces under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). Keeping in the NDA government's Make in India policy, MoD quoted Parrikar saying that the OFB would be made into a lead integrator of major platforms and as a manufacturer of world class defence equipment.
