Dhanush the Indian Bofors

[Kunal Biswas]

Desi Bofors howitzer undergoes final trials in major boost to indigenization

Both the Army and OFB, in fact, are "quite excited" about Dhanush, which performs "20-25% better" than the original Bofors gun in virtually all parameters like range, accuracy, consistency, low and high angle of fire and shoot-and-scoot ability. "It outclassed the Bofors during the trials in Sikkim at sub-zero temperatures at 11,500 feet altitude," said an official.

The Army hopes to plug at least some of its operational gaps in long-range, high-volume firepower through the initial induction of 414 Dhanush guns. The OFB has already been given an order of over Rs 1,260 crore to make 114 howitzers. There was a slight setback to the project when the barrel of a Dhanush prototype burst during firing trials at Pokhran in August last year. But officials contend it was the use of "old ammunition with air bubbles" that led to the accident. "The inquiry established there was no fault with the barrel or its metallurgy," he said.

Source : Desi Bofors howitzer undergoes final trials in major boost to indigenization - The Times of India

========================
========================

As per the plan, OFB will manufacture 18 howitzers in this financial year, followed by 50 in the next, and 100 per year thereafter," said the official. Based on the current production plan, it will take around 6 years (2020) to produce all 414 Dhanush guns. As of June 2014 ..

 

[Pulkit]

Desi Bofors howitzer undergoes final trials in major boost to indigenization





Source : Desi Bofors howitzer undergoes final trials in major boost to indigenization - The Times of India

========================
========================

As per the plan, OFB will manufacture 18 howitzers in this financial year, followed by 50 in the next, and 100 per year thereafter," said the official. Based on the current production plan, it will take around 6 years (2020) to produce all 414 Dhanush guns. As of June 2014 ..

Thanks....
Sir You have already shared this with me but
1)Order for remaining Dhanush has been placed?
2)If the order is gonna be placed after belivery of 114 then will it be additional 414 or 414-114?
3)If its gonna be 414 or 414-114 then also the amount of investment needed will be too high which will only come once the order is placed
4)The cycle will restart from what ever is the final production according to me close to 30-35 per year once further order has been placed.

5)If the order is 414-114 then I do not think they will even attempt to speed up the manufacturing to 100 and all will need to satisfy with 50 odd produced in a year.

 

[SajeevJino]

Finally, a new artillery gun for the Army
​

As per its Field Artillery Rationalisation Plan, Army needs to buy 2,820 artillery guns of various types to replace obsolete guns and equip new units.

A few months after clearing critical trials, the Dhanush artillery guns — also called “Desi Bofors” — have entered the production phase to meet Army’s operational gap of field howitzers. The “Make in India” defence manufacturing project took off with the receipt of Bulk Production Clearance (BPC) from the Army for 144 Dhanush guns. Sources said the Ordnance Factories Board (OFB) has already started the production of indigenously manufactured 155 mm/45 calibre artillery gun

OFB had been waiting for the BPC from the army to start production after Dhanush successfully passed evaluation by the Directorate General of Quality Assurance (DGQA) and the Maintainability Evaluation Trial.

Gun Carriage Factory, Jabalpur plans to supply 6 guns within 6 months, another 12 within 12 months and another 36 guns within 24 months.

This was decided at the OFB’s General Managers’ strategic conference held last month. The decision raises questions about the Army’s plans to get all 144 guns from the OFB within three years.

Dhanush will be the first artillery gun to be acquired by the Army since the purchase of Bofors guns from Sweden in 1980s.

The current order for 144 guns is estimated to be of Rs 1,260 crore, with the Army having an option to acquire up to 414 guns based on operational performance. As per its Field Artillery Rationalisation Plan, Army needs to buy 2,820 artillery guns of various types to replace obsolete guns and equip new units.

Dhanush gun is based on the design and manufacturing technology obtained from Bofors in the 1980s. Under the original Bofors contract, India had obtained Transfer of Technology to manufacture 155mm guns after inducting 410 guns.

The ensuing Bofors corruption scandal, however, hit all such plans till those old schematics were brought out by the OFB in early 2011. OFB claims that the indigenous howitzer is better than the original Swedish gun in range, accuracy, reliability and ‘shoot-and-scoot’ capabilities. Bofors is a 155 mm/39 calibre gun whereas Dhanush is a 155 mm/45 calibre. The enhanced calibre imparts a longer firing range.

OFB is upgrading its manufacturing line for bulk production at Jabalpur Gun Carriage Factory from 2016, wherein it will be able to produce 30-35 guns every year. There are no plans for exporting Dhanush, sources in the OFB said.

http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/finally-a-new-artillery-gun-for-the-army/

 

[blueblood]

Finally, a new artillery gun for the Army ​

OFB is upgrading its manufacturing line for bulk production at Jabalpur Gun Carriage Factory from 2016, wherein it will be able to produce 30-35 guns every year. There are no plans for exporting Dhanush, sources in the OFB said.

http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/finally-a-new-artillery-gun-for-the-army/

Great, so OFB will take more than 10 years to complete the relatively small order of 414 guns.

I am so fucking proud of them.

 

[pmaitra]

Such large calibre weapons systems may be given out to the private players out there. I understand that the government will be extremely reluctant to let private companies manufacture small arms, but big guns like this can be, and should be, given to private companies, preferably more than one. We should be able to produce 50 or 60 such guns every year.

 

[power_monger]

Such large calibre weapons systems may be given out to the private players out there. I understand that the government will be extremely reluctant to let private companies manufacture small arms, but big guns like this can be, and should be, given to private companies, preferably more than one. We should be able to produce 50 or 60 such guns every year.

The Problem here is Dhanush had been designed,prototyped and developed by OFB Jabalpur. Steps need to be taken to improve the production rate at OFB jabalpur itself so as to reward their work.Giving manufacturing Order now to Private Industries might discourage OFB to do any development activities in future.

 

[pmaitra]

The Problem here is Dhanush had been designed,prototyped and developed by OFB Jabalpur. Steps need to be taken to improve the production rate at OFB jabalpur itself so as to reward their work.Giving manufacturing Order now to Private Industries might discourage OFB to do any development activities in future.

OFB can be given royalty rights. If production is increased, it means OFB will have to hire more employees to sustain that production, and government will have to continue to buy large number of such guns to keep the employees employed. If the production is given to private companies, then hiring extra employees is their headache. The downside is that the private companies might simply refuse to take the order without guarantees of higher procurement, like MRF refused to reduce the cost of the components they were supplying for the Arjun tank simply because the order volume was low.

I think the reason why they kept the production rate capped at 30-35 guns every year is to avoid having to hire more people and not tie up funds in procuring extra equipment and tooling for the production.

In any case, the government has to continue to keep acquiring artillery pieces because we have a shortage anyway.

 

[Prashant12]

52 cal Dhanush Howitzer

 

[garg_bharat]

The Problem here is Dhanush had been designed,prototyped and developed by OFB Jabalpur. Steps need to be taken to improve the production rate at OFB jabalpur itself so as to reward their work.Giving manufacturing Order now to Private Industries might discourage OFB to do any development activities in future.

Private industry must also be used for artillery production, while ensuring OFB has work too. Jabalpur can sustain with 30-40 pieces per year.

Couple of private sectors players are needed in artillery production, as it is a very large field. This will ensure competition and quality.

 

[garg_bharat]

I would like to see Kalyani in 105mm and 155mm light towed guns and Tata/Mahindra in 155mm self propelled guns.

OFB is making 105mm and 155mm conventional towed guns. So everybody is happy.

 

[PaliwalWarrior]

Thanks for the info.

You took my query wrongly .

Why they need 3 years to build 114 was my query.

If they need that much time time what i stated was true.

What do you think is the max production rate it can attain?

@Kunal Biswas is 30-35 optimum production rate?

Well it all depends on

Orders size

 

[PaliwalWarrior]

After 3 decades the history utzers entering Indian forces are howitzers and Indian

 

[garg_bharat]

The Problem here is Dhanush had been designed,prototyped and developed by OFB Jabalpur. Steps need to be taken to improve the production rate at OFB jabalpur itself so as to reward their work.Giving manufacturing Order now to Private Industries might discourage OFB to do any development activities in future.

The mod has flooded ofb and PSU with orders. Now the problem is they do not have the right methods and people to deliver.

There are still big bottlenecks at ofb due to which larger orders are not possible.

 

[WolfPack86]

DAC Approves The Induction Of Dhanush & M 777 Howitzers

 

[Kunal Biswas]

Finally, A bulk order and this will increase rate of production as well ..

 

[praneet.bajpaie]

Guys, are Dhanush and DRDO 155 mm guns the same or different?

 

[Saichand K]

Guys, are Dhanush and DRDO 155 mm guns the same or different?

They are the same guns. Dhanush is a DRDO/OFB 155/45 cal gun.

 

[akk]

Can anybody please try to justify this meagre figure of 18? When we talked about lca, it was a great decision to increase orders to generate a manufcturing base by a large order.
how to justify a small order of 18 when 20 or 40 lca were unjustifiable.
how can a production facility be set up by 18 pieces?
What about the previously talked order of 114?

 

[Kunal Biswas]

They are different guns, DRDO ATAGS is a light weight 52cal 155mm gun system where as Dhanush is 45cal of 155mm, Dhanush MK2 is 52cal gun of 155mm but will weight more than 12tons ..

12 ton DRDO ATAGS

10 Ton Dhanush MK1 based on FH77

10-14ton Dhanush MK2 Based on FH77

Guys, are Dhanush and DRDO 155 mm guns the same or different?

They are the same guns. Dhanush is a DRDO/OFB 155/45 cal gun.

 

[tharun]

Rate of production depends on the order of items...
Less order means less production....Keep that in mind if 414 order is finished in 4 years then what factory sits idle, so to keep factory running for max time production will be less