Indian Army Artillery

[EagleOne]

FLASH! Indian 155-mm Self-Propelled Howitzer Big Begins All Over Again
The Army has gotten used to having no new artillery guns. Well, today brought the latest signal toward a re-tender. The Indian Army today sent out a fresh Request for Information (RFI) to global gun makers for self-propelled 155m/52cal guns (notice the blundering use of "towed" in the document). The full RFI is here. Will update this post with more details later. A re-tender of the Rs 8000 crore towed gun deal is around the corner too, apparently. The self-propelled gun deal is for 120 units, which first fell through as far back as 2005 when Denel was blacklisted.
http://livefist.blogspot.com/2010/07/flash-inevitable-happens-india-scraps.html

 

[neo29]

India will be in deep trouble if this current tender is scrapped again. We cant built on our own and making our own hurdles in acquiring from outside.

 

[prateikf]

yes the current tender for self propelled howitzer's has been scrapped and a new RFI(request for information) has been issued. No defence firm can possibly respond to this as almost all artillery manufacturer's have been blacklisted-stk,denel,rheinmetall,bofors,IMI. is there any other artillery manufacturer left to respond to a new tender? i think there isnt.

 

[bassi.gurjeet]

hi 2 all i m new in this thread ...
nothin will happen ...indian MOd babus are useless ...They want nothing for our forces ..
fired them all...

 

[EagleOne]

yes the current tender for self propelled howitzer's has been scrapped and a new RFI(request for information) has been issued. No defence firm can possibly respond to this as almost all artillery manufacturer's have been blacklisted-stk,denel,rheinmetall,bofors,IMI. is there any other artillery manufacturer left to respond to a new tender? i think there isnt.

apart from BAE
CAESAR-france
Atmos 2000.-isreal

 

[prateikf]

ofcourse BAE exists but the BAE self propelled gun is the ARCHER developed by bofor's and based in Sweden. the Archer uses the FH 77 derived 155 mm/52-calibre howitzer. this congress led govt. would never even dream of buying this bofors developed product.
Regarding CAESAR it was offered by the Freanch govt. a long time ago but the Indian Govt. never even considered it.
http://www.defenseworld.net/go/defe...rm Nexter offers India 21st century artillery
The ATMOS-2000 is not used even by the Israeli Defence Forces. It has the Soltam 155mm howitzer which proved to be a failure in user trial's conducted by the Indian Army. It's extremely unlikely that the Indian Army would opt for this system.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ATMOS_2000
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ARCHER_Artillery_System

 

[ppgj]

India will be in deep trouble if this current tender is scrapped again. We cant built on our own and making our own hurdles in acquiring from outside.

DRDO/OFB build the guns for Arjun tank and T-72s. is it difficult to build a howitzers?? i guess not.

infact one were to go by "forum talk insider info" - DRDO indeed put forward an idea to build the required howitzers long back. as usual Army did not want them and wanted imports!! no surprise there.

considering the amount of time it is still taking to get these guns, i am sure DRDO would have built them by now. iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

the new COAS seems to be very pragmatic and in his recent speech in some function, he talks about the cooperation needed between DRDO and the users and the need to change the "attitudinal ego" - partners have. hope he guides the army in that direction. :happy_2:

 

[Rahul Singh]

Well, in this passed time, if initiated, the indigenously developed or developed through JV artillery system could have been developed and made operation. Above all this vicious circle would have ended once and for all as with follow-on developments, Army could have become fully self-dependent as far this need for artillery goes.

 

[EagleOne]

Indian Towed Gun Competition Scrapped A Record Third Time, Re-Tendered Signalled
Horror for the Indian Army with a dark dollop of deja vu. It's eight year effort to buy over a thousand new towed 155mm/52cal howitzers has been scrapped, with fresh indications now that it will be re-tendered a record third time shortly. The Indian Army issued a fresh RFI today inviting information from global vendors on modern 155mm/52cal towed gun systems. Yesterday, the Army had made a bit of a mess-up with an RFI that asked for guns it described as "towed (self-propelled)" -- a boo-boo it corrected today by expunging the "self-propelled" part and re-releasing the RFI for towed guns. The re-tender is understood to have been made necessary after the BAE-Bofors FH77-B05-L52 gun wound up (for the record third time!) the only gun in the fray, after its competitor in the latest round of trials, ST Kinetics, entered India's blacklist. More details shortly on the guns that are likely to be part of the fresh competition. All I can do is feel sorry for the Army
http://livefist.blogspot.com/2010/07/flash-indian-towed-gun-competition.html

 

[Rahul Singh]

Its high time we initiate program "Artillery Guns" as reasons against it like "Army need them in short time, so there is no time for indigenous route" have lost all ground it ever had. Can anybody guarantee why fourth RFP will not be cancelled and Gun will bought? We have lot of experience lying and all we need is to form a JV and start development and get rid of this problem once and for all.

 

[prateikf]

http://www.stratpost.com/army-towed-guns-tender-jinxed-canceled
Ministry of Defense confirmed that the RFI, indeed, indicated a fresh tender for 155 mm/52 caliber Towed Artillery Guns. The reason the ministry gave for this decision was the creation of a single-vendor situation due to the non-appearance of the ST Kinetics' gun at the trials. ST Kinetics, however, insisted the weapon had been brought to India and was at the Pokhran firing range in Rajasthan, along with the competing BAE Systems' weapon, awaiting range time for the trials.

The MOD has begun to lie and deceive it's own people. Shame on the MOD and Mr. antony for this. A govt. which deceives it's own people wont last long. i dont think any foreign firm would even bother to respond to this tender which is being issued every year.

 

[Rage]

Here's a plea to all DFI members: be a part of the campaign to goad Antony into taking action on the RFI for Artillery & munitions.

If you'd like to be part of the initiative, send a PM to me or prateikf. We plan to have a letter written by next week, and pasted here for your approval.

If you have alternative suggestions for how this campaign should be set up, please send your recommendation to me or prateikf. Due credit will be given.

Remember: it is your right to know about the defence of this country. It is also your duty.

 

[Rahul Singh]

I'm in support of add hock purchase for meeting minimum requirements followed by a comprehensive indigenous/JV program for meeting full requirements.

I don't want my children and grandchildren go through similar trauma as common citizens or as defense personals once these to be bought guns become obsolete and one which will replace them too in time. I want problem solved once and for all.

 

[prateikf]

the Mahindra and BAE joint venture is ideally suited to meet the Indian artillery requirement. the new BAE howitzer has a range of 60km with excalibur shells.

 

[bhramos]

FLASH! Indian 155mm/52cal Towed Gun Competition Scrapped A Record Third Time, Re-Tender Signalled

Horror for the Indian Army with a dark dollop of deja vu. Its eight-year effort to buy and build 1,580 (400 + 1,180) new towed 155mm/52cal howitzers has been scrapped, with fresh indications now that it will be re-tendered a record third time. The Indian Army issued a fresh RFI today inviting information from global vendors on modern 155mm/52cal towed gun systems. Yesterday, the Army had goofed up with an RFI that asked for guns it described as "towed (self-propelled)" -- an embarrassing boo-boo it corrected today by expunging the "self-propelled" part and re-releasing the RFI for just "towed" guns. The re-tender is understood to have been made necessary after the BAE-Bofors FH77-B05-L52 gun wound up (for the record third time!) the only gun in the fray, after its competitor in the latest round of trials, ST Kinetics, entered India's blacklist. More details shortly on the guns that are likely to be part of the fresh competition. All I can do is feel sorry for the Army. More details on the mess shortly. And do read Saurabh Joshi's excellently detailed post on the fiasco here on Stratpost.

http://livefist.blogspot.com/2010/07/flash-indian-towed-gun-competition.html

 

[bhramos]

Bofors Ghost Forces Army To Scrap Gun Deal. Again.

 

[prateikf]

what a sheer beauty the new bofors gun is. it has emerged as the clear winner all the 3 times. with excalibur shells the gun has a range of 60km. only a minister like ak antony could be so foolish to reject this howitzer.

 

[171K]

Shame on GoI. Indian Military is at it's weakest right now. I hope enemies do not take advantage of India's weakness!

 

[prateikf]

yes very true. the Indian army is at its weakest right now. no proper carabines, no howitzer's, no night vision devices and not even proper helmets. even bangladesh has acquired the chinese self propelled gun. what a pity that the Indian army's artillery is even weaker than that of bangladesh. this ak antony would only rest after he has destroyed our armed forces and thus would achieve his goal of total transperancy

 

[nitesh]

I think this is the most practical way out of this misery:

Ajai Shukla: An Indian journey sans Bofors baggage