Denel company filed for its G5 howitzer India as early as the 90s, but was blacklisted along with several other manufacturers. Now these companies are not allowed to submit their applications in any of the existing Indian projects

Artillery of the Indian Army has long stood in the face of entrenched corruption scandals and new procedural and bureaucratic delays, but is now in dire need of upgrading and replacement of its material parts. Let's see how things work in this area.

Despite the experience periodic artillery duels on the Siachen glacier and other clashes with its neighbors, which in a way reminiscent of their claims, Indian Artillery Corps has long been neglected as plans to replace weapons repeatedly frustrated or bogged down in the quagmire of administrative hell.

As a result, the Indian army is now in urgent need of replacing or upgrading virtually every caliber artillery. But some positive developments can be seen: after a long break field tested 155 different guns mm/52-kalibra, slowly but surely, the program for the development and modernization of the howitzers in the private and public sectors, and finally nearing completion of the procurement process 145 light howitzers M777 from BAE Systems.

However, in command of the artillery claim that these shifts are infinitely small and have little effect on the implementation of the rationalization plan is constantly being delayed Field Artillery Field Artillery Rationalisation Plan (FARP), which was launched in 1999 and provided for the purchase of 3000 - 3200 howitzers of different calibres in the amount of 5 - $ 7 billion by the end of the 14th five-year financial plan of the army, ending in 2027.

"Delays in the procurement of artillery more than a decade will occur and further, that would entail serious operational consequences," - said retired Gen. Sher Tapliyal. Former artillery officer warned that if the issue of procurement is not resolved immediately, the army may be in a situation of complete loss of effective long-range fire power in stark contrast with regional adversaries.

According to the plan FARP provides not only artillery procurement abroad, but also the development and manufacture of howitzers private and public joint ventures agreements on technology transfer. Will feature more than 200 artillery regiments, which will remain the backbone of army offensive "maneuver fire" and revised combat doctrine.

Lack of howitzers, however, clearly manifested itself when the army faced the task of equipping the two newly created mountain divisions in the northeast of India in response to the rapid build-up of Chinese military power in Tibet. Creation in 2017 of additional mining shock body, consisting of three divisions, as well as possible and fourth artillery division for deployment along the Chinese border indefinite length 4057 km further complicates the problem with the army howitzers.

Under the program, the following is planned purchases FARP 1580 new towed gun systems (TGS) 155-mm/52 caliber; 814 guns on self-propelled chassis 155-mm/52 caliber; and 145 ready-light howitzers 155-mm/39 caliber. The financial plan also provides for the purchase of 100 self-propelled howitzers 155-mm/52 tracked feces and 180 self-propelled wheeled howitzer with another 120 howitzers, manufactured in India under the agreement on the transfer of technology.

At the same time, three artillery divisions armed with six guns of different calibers, most of which are not only outdated, but also continuously numerically reduced. These include the 122-mm towed gun D-30 130 mm gun M46 Soviet era, as well as tools of local plant Factory Board (OFB) - 105 mm Indian Field Gun IFG (Indian Field Gun) and its variant light field gun LFG (Light Field Gun).

Other models include howitzers Bofors FH-77B 155-mm/39 caliber, 410 pieces of these guns were imported in the late 80s, but less than half remain in service due to lack of spare parts and the consequent dismantling. In total, since 2001 the project Karan Israeli company Soltam and Indian OFB were upgraded 180 guns M46 (155-mm/45 caliber guns), so that their actual range increased to 37 - 39 km.

Senior artillery officers say that from an operational point of view, most of these guns did not meet the requirements, as 17 km valid range guns IFG and LFG (which is the basis for more than four decades of army) stopped "fit" as the contact boundary at the tactical level is currently time is more than 30 km.

In addition, neighboring armies currently have mortars with increased range 12 - 14 km, virtually neutralizing slightly greater range IFG / LFG for a minimal cost. According to an anonymous artillery officer in several places along the Pakistani and Chinese borders range of these guns hardly allows to cross the border in India, which makes them "ineffective".


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Big Guns

In order to resolve this "inefficiency" in May 2013 on the tests in the desert of Rajasthan modified caliber gun TRAJAN 155-mm/52 from Nexter opposed updated light howitzers ATHOS 2052 from Elbit. Both howitzers fired ammunition production company Indian OFB. These tests will be completed by winter 2014 firings and selecting one of these systems, the Office of the artillery, which will continue to negotiate on the final value of the contract (estimated budget of $ 2 billion).

RFP for towed howitzer TGS 2011 provides that submitted for the competition must have competing gun range 42 km by firing different ammunition. The final contract provides direct delivery of 400 guns and an agreement on the transfer of technology to manufacture more systems in India in 1180; This was enough to equip about 85 regiments.

Since 2001, these tests are already the fifth attempt, the previous four trials were closed by the Office of artillery in 2006. In these trials included howitzer FH-77 B05 L52 from BAE Systems, G5/2000 from Denel Ordnance and TIG 2002 of Soltam; in the first three rounds, all three howitzers and only the last two in the fourth round of tests.

Denel company was suspended from further struggle after the newly elected coalition of Prime Minister brought it in its blacklist in 2005. Company accused of corruption in dealing with retired the previous administration contract for 400 rifles, designed to destroy the material part.

Blacklisting also led to a halt a limited series production of self-propelled howitzers «Bhim» SPT 155-mm/52 caliber within which provided for the installation of the tower Denel / LIW T6 on MBT Arjun local housing development, which was to make state-owned company Bharat Earth Movers Limited in Bangalore.

Nexter company is currently working with the Indian private contractor Larsen & Toubro (L & T), which is set for TRAJAN new hydraulic and other related systems. As expected, in the case of selecting the company L & T will produce all standard machine with a high degree of local components. According to the Procedure for procurement of Defense (DPP) at least 50% local components allows us to consider the product of local production.

As part of its application Elbit company signed an agreement with the world's largest manufacturer of forged and wrought irons Kalyani Group with headquarters in Pune. Kalyani Group - better known as Bharat Forge on behalf of its very successful subsidiary - has acquired the whole unit for the production of artillery from the Swiss company RUAG and newly restored and launched in the city of Pune in 2012. "We are at an advanced stage of development of towed howitzers 155-mm/52 caliber TGS, which should be ready by the end of 2014," - said a retired colonel Rahendra Sikh, CEO Kalyani Defence and Aerospace. "We are confident that over time we can meet the considerable needs of the Indian Army in artillery systems," - he added, noting in particular a high proportion of local content in the whole project.

Kalyani Steel Company will provide a blank for howitzers, as she drives, transmission and engine will deliver another enterprise group Automotive Axles. Kalyani Steel Company is also open to cooperation with the national organization for Defence Development (DRDO) and provide know-how and management software tool, fire correction and operational management.

Currently, the company is working with the Department of DRDO in Pune, which recently received the terms of reference of the army in 2016 to manufacture advanced towed artillery system caliber 155-mm/52 ATAGS (Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System) with the actual firing range of 50 km. In the same time frame should be designed automatic loading and guidance and propulsion system that allows howitzer independently navigate through rough terrain at a distance of 500 meters.

The Ministry of Defence gave permission for the design ATAGS DRDO and allocated to this $ 26 million, but is looking for private partnership for this project. According to Colonel Rahendra Sikh, and here Kalyani company intends to apply, even if it would compete with its own TGS.

In July 2013 have been tested at high temperatures in support of Army requirements for 100 tracked howitzers SPT 155-mm/52 feces (valued at approximately $ 800 million).

As part of the revived project on howitzer «Bhim» SPT, which was stopped in 2005, Rosooboroneksport has filed an application based on the T-72 MBT installed 152-mm/39 cal gun modified for firing projectiles 155-mm/52 cal. The Russians are going to fight with one developed by an Indian company L & T based on the tank K-9 «Thunder» by Samsung-Techwin.

In case your choice company L & T intends to equip howitzer SPT ample domestic production subsystems, such as fire control system, communication systems and climate control, as well as to locate the hull and turret to obtain a "local" product.

Resuscitation FH-77B

Six prototypes guns Bofors FH-77B 155-mm/39 155-mm/45 feces and feces produced by the OFB in Jabalpur, as tested by the customer in the desert of Rajasthan in the summer of 2013, followed by yet another test in the mountains at the end of this same year.

These tests were successful after factory fire testing conducted by OFB, once in October 2012, the Ministry of Defence under the pressure of the Army approved the purchase of 114 towed howitzers FH-77B 155-mm/45 cal local production. High army officers noticed on this occasion that the expected increase in the number of new howitzers to 200 pieces.

India purchased 410 guns FH-77B 155-mm/39 cal in 1986, along with documentation and technology for their production, but has not reached this stage due to the fact that the acquisition of howitzers year later mired in corruption scandals Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, his party and representatives of the Ministry of Defence. Investigation of the case was closed in March 2011 after 21 years of unsuccessful investigation, costing the federal government 2.5 billion rupees, and charge for it no one was charged.


FH-77B gun

Platform, passing the test in the army include two standard FH-77B 155-mm/39 caliber guns, two similar models with onboard computers and two howitzers 155-mm/45 caliber. Officers involved in the project FH-77B, reported that steel for gun barrels supplied state company Mishra Dhatu Nigam, and they are processed at the company OFB Kanpur.

OFB factory in Jabalpur, manufactured IFG and LFG and upgrade kits from M46 gun Soltam in the early 2000s, eventually will establish mass production of 114 howitzers FH-77B.

Sources in the army said the company BAE Systems (bought AB Bofors in 2005) expressed its willingness to cooperate with OFB in its project on FH-77, but the proportion of its participation as a supplier of components remains uncertain.

In accordance with the planned delivery schedule FH-77 OFB company by special order the Defense Ministry initially put six guns for eight months. This will happen around the beginning of 2014, and then for three years, fully devolve all 114 Army systems.

"The acquisition of guns FH-77B production OFB is long overdue and became an alternative that even the army and the Ministry of Defence had to perform a few years ago" - complained General Pawar, former commander of the Artillery School in western India. - Lack of howitzers in the transition period significantly affected the firing power of the army. "

Industry interference

Modernization of artillery prevented corruption scandal with FH-77B. Since 1999, the situation has not changed, while the Ministry of Defence not ventured stunning round of reviews, redistribution, and rerelease already selected proposals for the howitzer.

Incomplete tests and over-ambitious requirements specifications issued by the Office of the artillery for the purchase of new and modernization of existing platforms, further slowed the process of modernization.

For example, a program to upgrade FH-77BS to 155-mm/45 feces was stopped in 2009 after the performance requirements have been determined to be unattainable. To meet them, it was necessary to replace the barrel, bolt, strengthen the lower carriage and install a modern sighting system.

"Some of the requirements for the modernization were simply unrealistic for the 25-year-old guns" - said a source in the industry associated with this project - they required capabilities have not been done and the newer howitzers. " In the army and the defense ministry did not want to review the requirements or decrease the parameters even though many in the management of artillery admitted that they are unrealistic. Even in the company BAE Systems, despite the status of the head of the manufacturer howitzers, refused to respond to a request for modernization requirements because of "unbearable the performance requirements."

Further complicating the already limited market artillery systems blacklist Ministry of Defence in 2005, which due to corruption charges for a period of 10 years were recorded three main suppliers howitzers. In addition to the company Denel outcasts were classified Swiss Rheinmetall Air Defence (RAD) and Singapore Singapore Technologies Kinetics (STK). All of them were already at an advanced stage or performance tests or negotiations of the relevant contracts for howitzers. All three companies have denied any offense and different challenge relevant prohibitions.

"Blacklisting suppliers reduces competition and deprives the army of the main armament, which in turn impacts the readiness," - said the biggest procurement specialist material part and offset General Mrinal Suman. New requirements carried out in accordance with the complex and opaque purchasing procedures MO India (DPP), only lead to more delays and higher costs.

In the words of General Sumana briefly reflect the position of the parliamentary defense committee and the Auditor General and the Auditor, who has repeatedly criticized the Ministry of Defence in compromising the combat capabilities of the army due to delayed procurement howitzers. In the December 2011 report, the Auditor General in Parliament categorically stated that procurement howitzers "are not expected in the near future."

India currently buys more than 75% of its defense requirements abroad and most of the existing officers recognize that such a radical change in defense procurement policy could further impede the already delayed modernization in the military sphere, especially artillery.

In the modified Order DPP focuses on the development and production of local weapons systems, and purchases abroad are "extreme measures." It also expressed confidence in increasing private sector participation in the Indian military-industrial complex for decades monopolized by governmental organizations such as DRDO, OFB 40 business units and eight so-called defense of public sector enterprises in India.

Accordingly, the Ministry of Defence issued a request for proposals in September 20113, on the modernization of 300 guns M46 155-mm/45 to standard gauge in the program, with the participation of OFB and four private defense contractor, as well as their chosen foreign suppliers.

After the company Soltam and OFB completed the project «Project Karan», army face of persistent delays its program FARP «resurrected" program to modernize Soviet M46 due to the fact that she still has in service 300 - 400 of 130 - mm guns. Ordnance Department reasoned that, because the gun that basically were retired and constitute a part of the army reserves «Free Issue Material», then the upgrade will not only effective but also cost effective.


Tata showed a prototype of its caliber howitzers 155-mm/52 MGS in New Delhi in December 2012