As part of Army’s artillery modernisation project, additions are being made to have longer range of rockets, loitering ammunition, UAVs with greater endurance besides newer indigenous guns. Artillery consists of guns, rockets, missiles and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. It launches munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms.

The Field Artillery Rationalization Plan, drawn up in 1999, talks about acquiring 2,800 guns by 2027.  Meeting these numbers could take up to a decade or more from now.

All Gun systems procured in the last five years or being procured, apart from Ultra-Light Howitzer, are indigenous Gun Systems being manufactured in India.

The plan talks about having all guns at same level — 155 mm. These includes 1,580 towed guns, 814 truck-mounted guns, 100 tracked self-propelled guns,180 wheeled self-propelled guns and 145 ultra-light howitzers.

Last year on emergency procurement basis, the Ministry of Defence okayed purchase of loitering ammunition for Army. These are set to be delivered now. Loitering ammunition can remain in the air for a specified period, do surveillance of targets and strike when directed from ground.

Among the multiple type of guns being inducted, include the Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS), the Sharang, ULH, Vajra and Dhanush.

The firing trials of ATAGS have gone off well. The field evaluation trials have been completed. Tata and Bharat Forge, the two manufacturers of the DRDO designed gun are ready to start production – some 170 are expected to be made in the first batch. The Director General Quality Assurance (DGQA) is testing its efficacy against dust, rains, mould etc. In another two months things should move ahead.

The Ultra Light Howtizers – in all 145 imported from US—are being inducted steadily. Seven regiments – 18 guns in each – of ULH have been inducted and deployed.

Sharang – the 130 MM gun that is being up-gunned to 155 MM – has three operational regiments, one more is on the way. In all 300 guns are to be up-gunned. The current speed of up-gunning is two regiments per year. We need to speed up to do three regiments per year.

The success of the K9 Vajra gun – that runs of tank-style tracks – in eastern Ladakh has led to the MoD okaying the purchase of 100 more such guns. Originally the gun was made for the desert sector; its adaption for Himalayan winter includes batteries that work in cold and lubricants that don’t freeze.

The first regiment of Dhanush has been deployed, the second one is expected by March 2023.

The future of long artillery includes long-range rockets. A 75 km range guided rockets that can fire from Pinaka launcher are to be inducted. The multi-barrel ‘Smerch’ can fire for 90 km range. The DRDO has been asked to work at rocket that can fire 125 km.

One of the four Pinaka regiments have been inducted along Northern borders. Six more Pinaka regiments have been contracted and delivery was expected soon and would be equipped with electronic and mechanical weapon system capable of firing variety of ammunition over longer ranges.

With long range rockets being inducted, aerial surveillance is need to find targets. The Army is looking for vertically launched drones with 80 km range. The system will direct fire in enemy areas including beyond visual range.

Make in India Initiative

The modernisation of the Artillery of the Indian Army has gathered momentum with several important projects in the pipeline. And guns made in India are now being operationalised in the high altitude areas along the northern borders and along Line of Control.

The focus of this whole process has been on indigenisation under the Make in India initiative, this means now all the gun systems being used by the Indian Army in the last five years have been designed and developed in the country except the Ultra-Light Howitzer.

Dhanush

In 2019, the Indian Army had signed a deal to procure 114 Dhanush 155 mm/45-calibre towed howitzers. By March 2023 the Army is expected to induct the second regiment of this gun.

These guns which have a strike range of 38 km have already been inducted in the Indian Army which has got 18 of them so far. These guns which were manufactured at the erstwhile Jabalpur-based Gun Carriage Factory (GCF), at a cost of Rs 14.50 crore, and each shell at Rs 1 lakh, are already active along the borders of China and Pakistan.

With this gun Indian Army’s fire power has been augmented and paved the way for development of private gun manufacturing industry in India. The factory already has Bulk Production Clearance (BPC) for the production of 114 Dhanush, country’s first indigenous 155mm x 45 calibre artillery gun.

Before induction the gun had undergone trials and tests under extreme conditions in different phases in terrains like Leh, Sikkim, Balasore, Odisha, and Babina in Jhansi.

So far the indigenous material in this gun is around 90 percent and the private as well as public sector has been part of this project and these include: SAIL, BEL and OFB. The Indian Army, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and DGQA are all part of this project.

This gun has been mechanically and electronically upgraded on the basis of the first phase of Transfer of Technology (ToT) deal under the Bofors contract of the 1980s.

K-9 Vajra

Amidst the ongoing border standoff between the troops of Indian and Chinese armies since May 2020 in eastern Ladakh, the K9-Vajra self-propelled howitzer which weighs around 50 tonnes has been deployed by the Indian Army. These guns which are capable of firing 47-kg of bomb at the higher altitude have been deployed to help the Army to strengthen its position against the enemy.

So far 100 K9 Vajra gun systems have been inducted and recently, DAC headed by defence minister Rajnath Singh has already given its approval for procurement of additional 100 K9 Vajra. And the process is set rolling and the Request for Proposal is going to be sent out soon.

Since these guns are already inducted in the army, there will be no further trials, now the vendor just has to submit the commercial bid and based on that the cost negotiations will take place.

These 155mm/52 calibre guns which have a striking capability of 50 km have been made at the Armoured Systems Complex of Larsen and Toubro (L&T) located in Gujarat. It is under the ‘Make in India’ initiative at a cost of Rs 4,500 crore.

In 2017, L&T had won the Rs 4,500-crore contract to supply 100 units of K9 Vajra under the ‘Make in India’ initiative for which it signed a transfer of technology contract with South Korean company Hanwha Corporation. According to L&T, K9 Vajra are delivered with more than 80 per cent indigenous work packages and above 50 per cent indigenisation (by value) at the programme level.

Sharang

This 130 mm gun system with a life and technology enhancement has a better accuracy, range, and consistency corroborating Indigenous Defence Capability.

The Army is getting prepared to get the 4th Regiment. The total volume required is 300 and this is expected to be completed in a year’s time. The source added that 15 Regiments are to be equipped with the Sharangs.

Pinaka Weapon System

The indigenous more advanced Pinaka weapon systems are in offing. A contract for six more regiments have been signed by the Army and soon the delivery will start. And these six regiments are going to be equipped with mechanically and electronically improved weapon systems which are capable of firing different ammunition over longer ranges.

The Army depends on Grad Multi Barrel Rocket launchers. Presently it has five regiments and Smerch which has been procured from Russia. But, the indigenous Pinaka has been a great success, not only in terms of launchers but also in bouquet of ammunition.

There will be trials for extended range of the Pinaka and the plan is to increase its range. With the help of the DRDO the Army is exploring the possibility of extending the range to 100-125 kms.

In response to Chinese positioning of its artillery, the Indian Army has deployed one regiment of the Pinaka Rocket System along the Line of Actual Control in the northern borders.

ATAGS

These are in the advanced stages of trials. And have been designed and developed through a partnership between DRDO and the domestic industry. This system has many firsts to its credit, said the source. It has a 25 litre chamber, long range, and sustained and rapid rates of fire. The user trials so far have been satisfactory and few procedural issues are in the midst of being taken care of.

Ultra-Light Howitzers M777

These have already been validated in the Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh regions. So far there are no plans to procure more of these Ultra-Light Howitzers. So far India bought 145 ULH at US $ 750 million from the US to address specific operational requirements in specific sectors especially in the high altitude areas of northern borders and other tough terrains. These 155 mm/39-caliber M777 howitzers have a range of up to 30km. And they are capable of carrying out  strikes at ranges of over 40 km in some areas.

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The Army has significantly bolstered its fire power along the frontier with China by deploying a range of rockets and artillery weapons and plans to procure an array of additional systems, including 100 K9 Vajra howitzers and UAVs, to augment combat prowess.

The Artillery units of the Indian Army already deployed K-9 Vajra Tracked Self-Propelled Howitzers, ultra-light M-777 howitzers, Pinaka rocket systems and Dhanush gun systems.

The Army plans to equip its Artillery units along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) with a range of up to 90 kms in addition to UAVs of 15-20 kms range. At present, medium altitude UAVs in the Army’s inventory are being operated by the Army Aviation units.

The Army is set to procure a new batch of 100 more K9 Vajras howitzers, in addition to 100 such guns ordered in 2017. The Defence Acquisition Council has cleared the proposal for ordering 100 more K9 Vajras. The Request for Proposal (RFP) will be issued soon.

The K9 Vajras were originally procured for deployment in deserts, but following the eastern Ladakh standoff, the Army deployed a significant number of the howitzers in that high-altitude region.

The Army is also procuring winterisation kits so the howitzers work in sub-zero temperature.

The Army is also in the process of procuring indigenously developed Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System, commonly known as ATAGS, and Mounted Gun Systems (MGS). This gun system has many firsts to its credit – 25-litre chamber, long range, as also rapid and sustained rates of fire. The user trials on the gun systems have been satisfactorily conducted and that there are few procedural issues that are being taken care of.

Induction of more advanced Pinaka weapon systems is in the offing. Six more regiments of the systems are being procured and their delivery would commence soon. The new Pinaka regiments will be equipped with electronically and mechanically improved weapon system capable of firing variety of ammunition over longer ranges. One regiment of Pinaka has been inducted along Northern borders in high altitude area after extensive validation. The defence ministry has already approved procurement of guided extended range rockets for Pinaka.

The Army is also in the process of procuring ‘Loitering Munition System’ thereby augmenting its surveillance, target acquisition and precision strike capability. The Army is also in the process of procuring indigenously designed and developed Loitering Weapon System with enhanced strike capability.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

The Army is procuring a range of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for surveillance and target acquisition purposes—including loitering munitions for combat roles—for its artillery units deployed along India’s borders with China and Pakistan. This includes an unspecified number of mini UAVs for which internal deliberations are at an advanced stage and also loitering munitions which the Army bought last year under emergency procurement.

There is a need to procure runway-independent UAVs to possess the sensor-to-shooter capability.

This effectively means there is a need for UAVs to observe, acquire target, direct artillery fire and carry out post-strike damage assessment matching the extended ranges of the gun and rocket systems being procured by the Army.

The UAVs will aid the Observation Post (OP) Officers and Forward Observation Officers (FOO) with information gathered through surveillance in advance. The idea is to procure enough quantity so that every OP officer is equipped with at least one mini UAV in the future, which would help him see beyond the hill features in the high-altitude border areas. The Army always has OP Officers deployed at its defensive positions and an FOO—who is an artillery representative—accompanies the assaulting troops to direct artillery fire when they are advancing to capture a location.

The mini UAVs will have a range varying from 15-20 km to 75-90 km with matching endurance and will be employed for engagement of targets in tactical and depth areas.

Earlier this year, medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) UAVs such as the Herons and Searchers with the Regiment of Artillery were transferred to the Army Aviation Corps.

Last year, the artillery regiment also ordered an unspecified number of loitering munitions under the fast-track procedure from a joint venture firm of an Indian and a foreign manufacturer.

The loitering munitions—which are unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs)—can loiter in the air and close on the designated target and attack it by self-destructing onto it when directed. They are expected to arrive soon, the sources said.

Deliveries of the precision-strike loitering munitions, which are relatively smaller and cheaper explosive-armed kamikaze drones that wait to select high-value enemy targets and then crash into them, are set to begin under an emergency procurement contract inked with an Israeli-Indian private joint venture last year.

The launchers of the loitering munition can be protected passively and actively as well—including camouflage concealment, shoot and scoot mechanism, and air defence protection, among others.

The Army has received responses from the Indian industry and several firms have expressed their capability to manufacture the weapon system, said the sources, adding that in future India can develop self-reliance and graduate as a global leader in the loitering munition technology.

After the Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict, the deadly effect of loitering munitions or autonomous missiles has been reinforced by the ongoing Ukraine-Russia war. Ukrainians have used Switchblade 300 and Phoenix Ghost loitering munitions supplied by the US as well as locally assembled weapons to stem Russian advances.

K9 Vajra Guns

The Army is now looking to induct another 100 K-9 Vajra guns, which have a strike range of 28-38 km, from the joint venture between L&T and South Korean Hanwha Defence. One K-9 regiment with ‘winterisation kits’ has already been deployed in eastern Ladakh from the 100 such 155mm/52-caliber guns inducted earlier for Rs 4,366 crore.

The K-9 guns were originally procured for deserts. But after the Chinese incursions in May 2020, they have been modified to ensure their batteries, oil, lubricants and other systems do not freeze in sub-zero temperatures. The next 100 K-9 guns will come with winterised kits.

The K9 Vajra, compliments and adds a punch while operating alongside tanks since it’s a tracked self propelled gun. For this reason, it was deployed in Ladakh along with armour.

Pinaka

Induction of indigenous Pinaka multi-launch artillery rocket systems, with a strike range of 38-km, have also added more muscle along the frontier. With DRDO developing a variety of ammunition for the Pinaka, including rockets with over 45-km extended range and 75-km guided extended range, six more Pinaka regiments for Rs 2,580 crore will be delivered to the Army to add to its existing four. The Army also has three Smerch and five Grad rocket regiments of Russian-origin.

Pinaka is an all-weather, artillery-multi-barrel rocket system. It can fire 72 rockets in 44 seconds. It delivers a devastatingly lethal and responsive fire against a variety of area targets such as exposed enemy troops, armoured and soft skin vehicles, communication centres, air terminal complexes, fuel and ammunition dumps.

M777 Howitzers

The M-777 howitzers can be swiftly airlifted to forward areas. The bulk of the 145 guns ordered for over Rs 5,000 crore from the US have also been inducted along the LAC. The seventh regiment of these howitzers, with a strike range of 30-km, is now also been operationalized.

The seventh regiment of M777 howitzers is in the process of the being raised. The 155mm, 39-calibre towed artillery guns can be airlifted by the Chinook helicopters at a short notice.. Helipads for the Chinook helicopters are being constructed at all forward posts in the northeast for the quick movement of troops and equipment.

ATAGS

Then there are the home-grown 155mm/52 caliber advanced towed artillery gun systems (ATAGS), with a maximum strike range of 48-km, developed by DRDO with production partners Tata Advanced Systems and Bharat Forge.

After successful winter and summer firing trials, the ATAGS is now undergoing environment and maintainability tests slated for completion in another two months. Commercial negotiations will then follow for the initial order for 150 guns at an estimated cost of Rs 3,365 crore to be split between Tata and Bharat Forge.

ATAGS is a robust indigenous system. The orders for ATAGS will only go up because the Army has a long-term requirement for 1,580 such guns.

Radars

Additionally, the indigenous weapon locating radar Swathi has been inducted and deployed along the northern borders. A counter-battery radar designed to detect and track incoming artillery and rocket fire, Swathi can assess the point of origin for counter bombing. The radar is similar to ANTPQ-37 radar, which has been in use with the Army in design and performance but is said to be more user friendly.

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