L&T wins Self Propelled Howitzer competition, VAJRA on the way!

[bengalraider]

@The enlightened -I'm guessing the order value includes the cost of training and setting up of maintenance workshops as well.The final order numbers should rise though.

 

[The enlightened]

@The enlightened -I'm guessing the order value includes the cost of training and setting up of maintenance workshops as well.The final order numbers should rise though.

Turks would have gotten that too.

IIRC earlier this deal was for 100 direct purchase and 400 domestic production.

 

[arnabmit]

Only the K9 SPH or the K10 supply vehicle as well?

 

[bengalraider]

Only the K9 SPH or the K10 supply vehicle as well?

Both, the support vehicles will be required as well.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

I can see why so many manufacturers were blacklisted (denel etc...) Tata gun was a copy of denel gun so LT had the best shot. But still think the order is much bigger than reported?
Earlier mention of Arjun engine being possibly used? If true could possible mean an improved Arjun engine may also be in development?

 

[LETHALFORCE]

This is fantastic stuff. Look forward to seeing this beast with the IA.

So now after a decade of inaction, we are seeing some big ticket items being cleared and the best news is that it will be made in India.

Samsung doing some of the manufacturing? 50 percent indigenous.

 

[sob]

Samsung doing some of the manufacturing? 50 percent indigenous.

No i meant that the manufacturing will be done in India. Never meant it was 100% indigenous.

with manufacturing locally the vendor base will increase and good for us in the long run. Our industry does not have the experience of manufacturing to MIL specifications, especially the paperwork and the quality levels. They will learn with every new order. I believe this is the correct way for the domestic industry to grow.

 

[bengalraider]

The Samsung involvement with L&T opens up a whole new list of interesting possibilities. Samsung defence conducts licensed production of the Lm-2500 gas turbines used by many of our ships, the T55 engine used by the Ch47 chinooks we are getting ,the T 56 used by the C-130 and the F-404 we are using for the Tejas

 

[Jagdish58]

Any update on BHIM SPH??? is the project still alive

 

[bengalraider]

Any update on BHIM SPH??? is the project still alive

Last time i spoke about Bhim to a DRDO official was in DEFEXPO 2012. The project was very much alive at that point. The man had mentioned something to me about mating the ARJUN chassis to another turret because the T6 was banned at that point of time.
Maybe once we have the initial numbers on the way a parallel effort could be started to mate the K9 turret with the BHIM chassis. Also now that DENEL is no longer banned bringing back the old BHIM which was a fully developed product also makes sense.

 

[sob]

The Samsung involvement with L&T opens up a whole new list of interesting possibilities. Samsung defence conducts licensed production of the Lm-2500 gas turbines used by many of our ships, the T55 engine used by the Ch47 chinooks we are getting ,the T 56 used by the C-130 and the F-404 we are using for the Tejas

Yes but Samsung will not be able to supply to us without the permission of the OEM.

 

[Savaj]

L&T order has invoked mixed feelings. Ideally I would have preferred G-6/T-6 family, given our procurement process any artillery is welcome. G-6/T-6 family is a proven system that participated in Iran-Iraq war. G-6 was a path breaking design of its time where it was designed ground up as a single unit rather than other SPH which mated howitzer to tank chasis.

Considering the fact that we should focus on Pakistan as well as China, we need more number of wheeled howitzers rather than tracked howitzers as wheeled variants offer higher flexibility and reduced maintenance compared to tracked variants. Biggest factor is deployment. While wheeled howitzers can be driven during mobilization, tracked variant require dedicated tank transporters for longer distances.

 

[Savaj]

I can see why so many manufacturers were blacklisted (denel etc...) Tata gun was a copy of denel gun so LT had the best shot. But still think the order is much bigger than reported?
Earlier mention of Arjun engine being possibly used? If true could possible mean an improved Arjun engine may also be in development?

1. Tata is using Denel technology, but Denel is not longer blacklisted.
2. Although K9 and Arjun use MTU engines, both engines are different models.K9 has MTU 881 KA-500 8-cylinder engine churning out 1000HP, while Arjun sports MTU 838 KA-501 10-cylinder engine. Apparently DRDO wanted IA to order bigger number of Arjun in order to make ToT from MTU feasible. As we know, that never materialized.

 

[Ash]

L&T order has invoked mixed feelings. Ideally I would have preferred G-6/T-6 family, given our procurement process any artillery is welcome. G-6/T-6 family is a proven system that participated in Iran-Iraq war. G-6 was a path breaking design of its time where it was designed ground up as a single unit rather than other SPH which mated howitzer to tank chasis.

Considering the fact that we should focus on Pakistan as well as China, we need more number of wheeled howitzers rather than tracked howitzers as wheeled variants offer higher flexibility and reduced maintenance compared to tracked variants. Biggest factor is deployment. While wheeled howitzers can be driven during mobilization, tracked variant require dedicated tank transporters for longer distances.

Denel's G5 and G6 artillery.......................

 

[punjab47]

Yes but Samsung will not be able to supply to us without the permission of the OEM.

Yeah, but it's one more obstacle & it opens stealth south Korea tech transfer route to us.

Similar to how Pak uses north Korea today.

 

[bengalraider]

Yes but Samsung will not be able to supply to us without the permission of the OEM.

The OEM is based in the great khanate and their great khan has a bromance going with our "chappan inch". Do the math.

 

[sayareakd]

Yours truly with the VAJRA, DEFEXPO 2012!

hay I was there too... next year we will meet.

 

[sayareakd]

I love K9, hope we get it fast.

 

[bengalraider]

hay I was there too... next year we will meet.

Next year DEFEXPO is in Goa. I'll see if I can make it.

 

[Shaitan]

Next year DEFEXPO is in Goa. I'll see if I can make it.

Damn, that means Kunal cant take his usual insane amount of pictures!

I have a feeling TATA may show of it's tracked chassis.