Hulk
ELITE MEMBER
- Joined
- Sep 13, 2009
- Messages
- 7,582
- Reaction score
- -18
- Country
- Location
m.ibnlive.com/news/india-orders-145-artillery-guns-from-us-firm/256947-3.html
New Delhi: Indian Army will soon get its first
artillery guns since the Bofors deal in 1986. The
Defence Ministry on Friday cleared a Rs 3000
crore deal to buy 145 M777 ultra light
howitzers from the USA defence manufacturer
BAE Systems.
The M777 artillery guns are essentially used in
the mountains. These guns are air
transportable and are currently used in
Afghanistan by the US Army where their
performance has been commendable.
India will procure the M777 howitzers from the
US through the Foreign Military Sale
programme.
The M777 is a 155mm 39 calibre towed gun
and is the world's first 155mm howitzer
weighing less than 10000 lbs (4218 kg).
The M777 can fire 5 rounds per minute and its
firing range is about 30 km maximum.
The US and Canada are currently using the
howitzers. This gun has also a digital fire control
system.
The US Marine Corps and US Army inducted
the M777 for the first time in November 2002.
The artillery gun deal comes at a time when the
Indian Army is facing a severe crunch of such a
weapons platform. The Armys artillery
programme suffered a major setback following
allegations of kickback in the Bofors gun deal in
1987.
For over 25 years the Indian Army failed to
induct a single new artillery gun in its armoury,
leading to depletion in its war waging
capabilities.
The M777 matches the firepower of current
generation 155 mm towed systems at less than
half the weight. The howitzer is equipped with
a 39-calibre barrel. The muzzle velocity (at
Charge 8 super) is 827m/s.
The lighter weight and smaller size allows the
M777 to be transported by USMC MV-22
Osprey, CH-47 helicopter or truck with ease, so
that it can be moved in and out of the
battlefield more quickly than the M198. The
smaller size also improves storage and
transport efficiency in military warehouses and
air/naval transport.
The gun crew required is an operational
minimum of 5, compared to a previous size of
9.
It was first fielded in Iraq in May 2007 and in
Afghanistan in February 2008. The M777 can
be transported by helicopter, transporter
aircraft and ship.
The M777 is equipped with two wheels. When
the M777 is in the firing position, a firing
platform is lowered to the ground under the
forward part of the carriage and the wheels are
raised clear of the ground.
It uses a digital fire-control system similar to
that found on self propelled howitzers such as
the M109A6 Paladin to provide navigation,
pointing and self-location, allowing it to be put
into action more quickly than earlier towed and
air-transported howitzers.
Finally some action happened. Is 145 enough? Why such low numbers anyone.
New Delhi: Indian Army will soon get its first
artillery guns since the Bofors deal in 1986. The
Defence Ministry on Friday cleared a Rs 3000
crore deal to buy 145 M777 ultra light
howitzers from the USA defence manufacturer
BAE Systems.
The M777 artillery guns are essentially used in
the mountains. These guns are air
transportable and are currently used in
Afghanistan by the US Army where their
performance has been commendable.
India will procure the M777 howitzers from the
US through the Foreign Military Sale
programme.
The M777 is a 155mm 39 calibre towed gun
and is the world's first 155mm howitzer
weighing less than 10000 lbs (4218 kg).
The M777 can fire 5 rounds per minute and its
firing range is about 30 km maximum.
The US and Canada are currently using the
howitzers. This gun has also a digital fire control
system.
The US Marine Corps and US Army inducted
the M777 for the first time in November 2002.
The artillery gun deal comes at a time when the
Indian Army is facing a severe crunch of such a
weapons platform. The Armys artillery
programme suffered a major setback following
allegations of kickback in the Bofors gun deal in
1987.
For over 25 years the Indian Army failed to
induct a single new artillery gun in its armoury,
leading to depletion in its war waging
capabilities.
The M777 matches the firepower of current
generation 155 mm towed systems at less than
half the weight. The howitzer is equipped with
a 39-calibre barrel. The muzzle velocity (at
Charge 8 super) is 827m/s.
The lighter weight and smaller size allows the
M777 to be transported by USMC MV-22
Osprey, CH-47 helicopter or truck with ease, so
that it can be moved in and out of the
battlefield more quickly than the M198. The
smaller size also improves storage and
transport efficiency in military warehouses and
air/naval transport.
The gun crew required is an operational
minimum of 5, compared to a previous size of
9.
It was first fielded in Iraq in May 2007 and in
Afghanistan in February 2008. The M777 can
be transported by helicopter, transporter
aircraft and ship.
The M777 is equipped with two wheels. When
the M777 is in the firing position, a firing
platform is lowered to the ground under the
forward part of the carriage and the wheels are
raised clear of the ground.
It uses a digital fire-control system similar to
that found on self propelled howitzers such as
the M109A6 Paladin to provide navigation,
pointing and self-location, allowing it to be put
into action more quickly than earlier towed and
air-transported howitzers.
Finally some action happened. Is 145 enough? Why such low numbers anyone.
