Indian Army Artillery

[Kunal Biswas]

ACCCS ( Artillery Combat Command & Control System )

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Artilery Combat Command and Control System SHAKTI dedication to Indian Army

"SHAKTI" Artillery Combat Command and Control System (ACCCS), a fully digitized, integrated and networked system jointly developed by Bharat Electronics limited (BEL), Bangalore, Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (CAIR), Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) and Project Management Organisation (PMO) ACCCS of Directorate General of Information Systems (DGIS) was dedicated to the Indian Army at a function today at DRDO Auditorium, here.

Lieutenant General PC Katoch, Director General of Information Systems (DGIS) and Shri Ashwani Kumar Datt, Chairman & Managing Director, BEL handed over the SHAKTI equipment JTO Army Chief Gen Deepak Kapoor and Lieutenant General KR Rao, Director General of Artillery. The function was atte4nded by several army officers alongwith senior officers from Air Force, Navy, DRDO and BEL.

Project SHAKTI is the first among the various Combat Command Control and Information (C31) systems being fielded in the Army. It is a network of military grade tactical computers automating and providing decision support for all operational aspects of Artillery functions from the corps down to a battery level. The system is also designed to seamlessly integrate with overall C31 grid. Project SHAKTI, thus will be the hub center of the fire power resource component of the corps combat potential. The major functions that the systems can perform are :-

"¢ Technical fire control for accurate delivery of fire power at the right time and place.

"¢ Tactical fire control for optimum utilization of available resources.

"¢ Fire planning.

"¢ Deployment management to ensure timely and speedy deployment to achieve maximum fire densities at critical area.

"¢ Operational logistics management.

'SHAKTI' will give the capability to concentrate the Artillery fire power at tactical level with ease and delivering the decisive blow by concentrated fire power at critical areas to ensure victory in battle.

In his address the Army Chief stated that future wars would be short, intense and technology driven. To achieve a cutting edge the Army needs to take speedy decisions facilitated by situational awareness and decision support tools in a networked C 31 environment. Project SHAKTI has empowered the Artillery with that cutting edge through automation of all Artillery functions in was at all levels of command.

General Kapoor extended his appreciation to BEL Bangalore, Centre for Artificial Intelligence & Robotics (CAIR), ARDE for their dedicated efforts resulting in successful completion of the project.

Read more: Artilery Combat Command and Control System SHAKTI dedication to Indian Army - Frontier India - News, Analysis, Opinion

 

[Kunal Biswas]

BEL delivers new artillery combat system to Army

Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL), the public sector defence undertaking, today dedicated to the Army its new artillery combat and control system. Christened Shakti, the new system is developed by BEL in association with Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

Shakti is a main sub-system of Tactical Command Control & Communication Intelligence (Tac C3I) system being deployed by the Army. The components that go into Shakti are enhanced tactical computer, handheld computer, gun display unit, all of which are interconnected through tactical radio network, land lines or fibre optic cable, an official statement said.

Presently, the artillery operations in the Army are being carried out manually. Shakti system makes use of software with GIS and GPS functionalities to integrate and automate all artillery operational functions.

The major functions of Shakti are: technical fire control (trajectory computation), tactical fire control (processing of fire requests and ammunition management), deployment management (suggesting deployment areas for guns and observation posts for defensive and offensive operations), operational logistics (timely provisioning of ammunition and logistic support) and fire planning (generation of fire plans, task tables and automatic generation of gun programmes).

The software has been jointly developed by BEL and DRDO. The system software has undergone verification and validation internally at BEL and by external agencies. The system has undergone a series of user evaluations and integration testing. It has also undergone extensive field evaluations and trials, the statement added.

"With the experience and expertise gained in design and implementation of tactical systems and proactive development of future network centric projects and tactical communication systems for the defence forces, BEL is in a position to develop and supply complex futuristic systems to meet all the NCW (Network Centric Warfare) requirements of the Indian Army," Ashwani Kumar Datt, chairman and managing director, BEL said.

BEL is also involved in the design, development and supply of other Tac C3I systems like Command Information & Decision Support System (CIDSS) - Samvahak; battlefield surveillance system — Sanjay; and air defence control and reporting system — Akash Teer.

BEL also has also been working on the development of other significant battlefield projects like BMS (Battlefield Management System) and F-INSAS (Future Infantry Soldier as a System).

http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/bel-delivers-new-artillery-combat-system-to-army/360915/

 

[Kunal Biswas]

 

[sathya]

India to buy M777 light artillery

The defense ministry has issued a Letter of Request to the US Government for the procurement of 145 pieces of M777 light howitzers, manufactured by BAE Systems.

The Indian Ministry of Defense has issued a Letter of Request to the US Government for the procurement of 145 pieces of light artillery. The howitzers, manufactured by BAE Systems, are to be purchased through a government-to-government Foreign Military Sale (FMS).


Laser Inertial Artillery Pointing Systems (LINAPS)
The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) had issued a notification to the US Congress on January 22, 2010, for the possible sale of these artillery pieces to India for an approximate amount of USD 647 million. The DSCA statement that followed, noted the sale to include 'possible sale of 145 M777 155mm Light-Weight Towed Howitzers with Laser Inertial Artillery Pointing Systems (LINAPS), warranty, spare and repair parts, support and test equipment, publications and technical documentation, maintenance, personnel training and training equipment, U.S. Government and contractor representatives' technical assistance, engineering and logistics support services, and other related elements of logistics support.'
M777 Specifications
Significantly, the proposed sale did not originally envisage any offset requirements, as evidenced by the DSCA statement noting, 'There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale.'

But StratPost has learned that in the last few months, the US Government has agreed to the Indian demand for compliance with the 30 percent offset requirement stipulated by the Indian Defense Procurement Procedure (DPP).


M777 Manufacturers
The DSCA statement listed the principal contractors to be BAE of Hattiesburg, Mississippi; Watervliet Arsenal of Watervliet, New York; Seiler Instrument Company of St Louis, Missouri; Triumph Actuation Systems of Bloomfield, Connecticut; Taylor Devices of North Tonawanda, New York; Hutchinson Industries of Trenton, New Jersey; and Selex, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
Interestingly, India is now on track to get the complete pair shown in this picture, with the defense ministry also having marked the Boeing Chinook as the lowest, technically qualified bid, L1, over the Russian Mi-26, for the Indian Air Force (IAF) procurement of 15 heavy lift helicopters.
StratPost understands there was much surprise at the opening of the bids as Boeing appeared to have scored over the Russian bid on both life cycle cost as well as fly-away cost.

M777 Transportability
But India also has other aircraft that can transport the howitzer, including the C-130J Super Hercules, the IL-76 and the soon to be acquired, C-17 Globemaster III.

India to buy M777 light artillery | StratPost

 

[AVERAGE INDIAN]

India All Set For First Howitzer Buy Since Bofors

This is history. Except I still don't want to say it until there's a contract award. The US Government has been sent a formal Letter of Request by the Indian MoD for 145 BAE Systems M777 ultra-light howitzers, which, along with associated equipment, could be worth upwards of $650-million. The Indian MoD formally declared its interest in the system to the Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency in January 2006.

Apart from the guns themselves, the deal includes "Laser Inertial Artillery Pointing Systems (LINAPS), warranty, spare and repair parts, support and test equipment, publications and technical documentation, maintenance, personnel training and training equipment, U.S.Government and contractor representatives' technical assistance, engineering and logistics support services, and other related elements of logistics support."

It's been a typically Indian ride. In February 2008, BAE fielded an M777 for the first time at the Def Expo 2008 trade fair, a month after the Indian Army had put out its requirement for light guns. Seven months later, the company declared that the qualitative requirements (pertaining mostly to ammunition) made it impossible for the M777 to be fielded, creating a single vendor situation involving the ST Kinetics Pegasus ultra-light gun. New requirements were formulated and both guns were invited to pitch. Trials followed, and then things steadily went straight to hell.

In late 2009, allegations of financial malfeasance rocked ST Kinetics -- leading to an indefinite period of suspended animation (the company's guns were still in country for trials etc), and finally ending with the company's formal blacklist by the Indian government in March 2012. With BAE's only competitor on the road to a ban, the MoD knew that there was no competition to be had. On Republic Day (Jan 26) 2010, the Pentagon revealed to US Congress (as part of due paper process) that the Indian government wanted 145 BAE M777s as part of a direct government-to-government deal. This was quickly cleared. In Feb 2011, press reports indicated that the Army had sought concessions for the government to push through the M777 since it had failed certain firing tests. This followed a brief controversy where an anonymous letter with xeroxed copies of sections of the M777 Indian trial report, landed on Indian Defence Minister AK Antony's table, forcing an internal inquiry. That inquiry apparently found the involvement of "suspected vested interests" (surprise, surprise).

If the Indian government manages to conclude this deal -- and there's no reason why it shouldn't now -- it will be historic. The first procurement of field artillery for the Indian Army since the infamous Bofors episode. Then again, 145 artillery pieces in a blackhole that's hungry for thousands of heavier howitzers, is a bit of a lark. It's a start.

Livefist: India All Set For First Howitzer Buy Since Bofors

 

[Kunal Biswas]

The reloading process is very slow..

 

[cloud_9]

DRDO to develop 155 mm field gun​

Indian defence scientists have embarked on developing an indigenous 155 mm field gun. The project involves an investment of Rs 300-400 crore.

The ambitious project has been kick-started this year with the Armaments Research and Development Establishment as the nodal agency. The Ordnance Factories and private industry would be involved in the development and production, according to V.K. Saraswat, Director-General of the Defence Research and Development Organisation

The indigenous gun will have better firepower, higher penetration capabilities and autonomous features. It will take a couple of years to demonstrate the first prototype version. At present the development and production partners as well as automation requirements have been identified and work is in progress, he said.

In the last 25 years, India has not produced its own field gun. The last field gun, the Bofors Howitzer, bought from the Swedish firm in the mid-1980's, raised a big controversy. While the gun performed well in the Kargil conflict in the late 1990's, off the battlefield it took a heavy political toll. It also resulted in no import and indigenous effort.

Further, several global vendors were blacklisted for various reasons. There are just one or two options to buy, hence it is imperative to make our own gun argues V.K. Saraswat.

In the past the defence research organisation led by the armaments establishment designed and developed the 120 mm rifle bore guns for the MBT Arjun (tanks). The last gun developed was the 105 mm type till the Bofors gun was introduced.

 

[cloud_9]

The reloading process is very slow..

Maybe its the angle but a real case scenario for our M777

[video=youtube_share;wCXqcBpURZE]http://youtu.be/wCXqcBpURZE[/video]

8 rounds 1:25 mins

 

[venkat]

Kunal!!! any idea about kalyani steels Austrian 155mm?

 

[Kunal Biswas]

No words on it..

I have posted some pics from defexpo-2012 here..

Kunal!!! any idea about kalyani steels Austrian 155mm?

 

[Kesang]

No words on it..

I have posted some pics from defexpo-2012 here..

I don't think that 145 m777 will be enough for us. Do you think that MoD can order more m777? And we are getting same version of m777 which USA using or we are getting downgraded version?.

 

[Kunal Biswas]

There is no possibility of getting downgraded as the composition of the barrel is same for all guns from same factory..

There is large possibility that this is first batch of 145 no of M777 there can be another two batches of M777, that is 145x2 = 290 additional..

I don't think that 145 m777 will be enough for us. Do you think that MoD can order more m777? And we are getting same version of m777 which USA using or we are getting downgraded version?.

 

[arunpat]

Bofors gun ready to take field test in Itarsi range - Times Of India

JABALPUR: 155/45 calibre gun - the Indian updated version of the Bofors -- is ready for its final in house trial. The special unit of the Gun Carriage Factory (GCF) has completed the job and the weapon will be transported to central proof establishment (CPE), Itarsi range, for field testing.

Talking to TOI on Wednesday GCF general manager and project director of weapon development composite team SP Yadav said initially LPR Khamaria was shortlisted for testing exercise. However, the state-of-the-art gun, after technical improvement now, has a firing range of 40 km. This rules out the Khamaria range because of the populated peripheral area beyond 16 km of LPR, Yadav said. The experiment therefore could be risky so a decision about a shift in venue has already been taken, he added.For transporting it to the next destination in Itarsi, a trailer has been hired and the D-Day has been fixed for November 30. After this 155/45 will be handed over to the Army and would be tested in Pokharan before making the final cut.



please delete if this is posted before

 

[Kunal Biswas]

Must read :

 

[Abhi9]

TATA Mounted gun system on TATA 8x8

 

[W.G.Ewald]

^^
Not 155mm is it?

 

[Abhi9]

^^
Not 155mm is it?

155mm 52 cal howitzer

 

[The Fox]

is the rate of fire given in the news 6 rounds per 3 minutes is it very slow or normal when compared to other Mounted guns in the market

 

[W.G.Ewald]

155mm 52 cal howitzer

Well, the 52 cal is obvious; that's a long barrel.

 

[Kunal Biswas]

Some Old photo from 2008 from Sayareakd Sir collection :

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Though operational ones are further improved once..