Indian Army Artillery

[Kunal Biswas]

K9 use its own chassis, K9 has nothing with Arjun chassis for now ..

@Kunal is the K9 on an Arjun chassis and is it a resent development or the old 1 before the company got blacklisted

 

[Twinblade]

=================
@sayareakd Sir, @Twinblade, Note the pinaka head, It seems there is a GPS guidance Kit >>

Its hard to tell whether its a vane type control like on IMI's TCS or disc type airbrake control on French SPADICO.

Since IMI was supposed to be the partner on Pinaka, its most likely to be vane type control as seen on IMI rockets. This is IMI's proposal for fitting TCS on Pinaka from almost a decade back.

 

[Kunal Biswas]

It does look likes a IMI onces, But at a larger scale made specifically for 214mm Rocket..

Its hard to tell whether its a vane type control like on IMI's TCS or disc type airbrake control on French SPADICO.

Since IMI was supposed to be the partner on Pinaka, its most likely to be vane type control as seen on IMI rockets. This is IMI's proposal for fitting TCS on Pinaka from almost a decade back.]

 

[Twinblade]

It does look likes a IMI onces, But at a larger scale made specifically for 214mm Rocket..

IMI's TCS could already handle both 160mm and 227mm rockets, so wouldn't have required upscaling but rather recalibration.

 

[Apollyon]

IMI's TCS could already handle both 160mm and 227mm rockets, so wouldn't have required upscaling but rather recalibration.

Why can't it be an indigenous system made by indigenous people of South India.

 

[kaustav2001]

Some bad news on the Artillery front -

M-777 buy uncertain | StratPost

The fate of the procurement of 145 units of M-777 light weight artillery howitzers from the US government for USD 694 million appears sealed, with the order failing to make the agenda of the meeting of the Defense Acquisitions Council (DAC) of the Indian Ministry of Defense on Friday.

Although the DAC did clear procurement of six Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules aircraft for the Indian Air Force (IAF), in addition to 236 Russian T-90S main-battle tanks and machine guns, besides five other items on the agenda, for a total value of around INR 12,000 crore, it failed to take up the M-777 acquisition.

But the failure to take up this order for consideration by the DAC has wider implications as it is unlikely that any decision can be taken on this order by October 15, which is the deadline for the expiry of the initial offer of the US government, after which the value of the order will see a 37 percent escalation to USD 885 million, as reported by StratPost. In today's terms this amounts to a difference of about INR 1,200 crore.

Not only does this mean that India will have to pay extra for this cost escalation for the artillery guns, it also makes the question of procurement of the howitzers, itself, uncertain. This is because the existing assembly lines of the BAE Systems M-777 howitzer are scheduled to shut down in the September-October period in the absence of any firm orders and the cost of restarting those lines would also have to be borne by India, if the ministry decides to clear the purchase later.

and.....Shell burst pegs back indigenization of Bofors guns by a year - Times Of India

The project to manufacture Bofors guns indigenously has been set back by at least a year after one got damaged during trial runs held at Pokhran, Rajasthan, in the first week of August. In the project being carried out by the Jabalpur-based Gun Carriage Factory, the gun's barrel came off during the test-fire. No injuries have been reported.

Due to the damage, experts TOI spoke to said that a whole procedure of tests would have to be repeated. But OF sources say they could fix the gun within a few months. The official line so far is that due to a defect in the shell it burst in the barrel itself."We are trying to find out if there was something wrong in the barrel or was it the shell that burst. At times it happens that the shell bursts even before reaching the target. Prima facie it seems this shell has exploded within the barrel itself," the OF sources said.

Another theory doing the rounds, one floated by experts in the army's artillery division which is closely following the affair, is that the accident happened due to a defect in the design of the barrel, which hampered the free movement of the shell. "The new guns were hurriedly designed by increasing the barrel size to add a punch. But certain mechanics applied to ensure better accuracy could have failed. This may have left to a fundamental flaw in the gun's design," they say.

Yet, seniors in the army who will have the final say are not buying the defective design theory yet. OF sources say that problem would most probably be pinned down to the defective shell theory.

 

[Dinesh_Kumar]

Above shell burst in OFB gun trials may be only a temporary issue with Manufacturing and QA, as Jabalpur manufactures both 39 and 45 Caliber spare barrels which are fitted on existing guns, and OFB trials for same gun last year were found to be ok. Nothing to worry about, IMHO.

 

[Dinesh_Kumar]

****Cross post from APC & IFV thread*****

To all Gurus here, posing a general question: what is difference b/w tracked and wheeled armored vehicle?
I used to be under impression that:
> Wheeled has less all terrain mobility and tracked has more, wheeled can use road network, tracked cannot as it tears up the road.
>Wheeled is more airmobile and is amphib capable, tracked is less of both.
> Wheeled is faster. and lighter, tracked slower, but lends itself to heavier Armour.

Any other views?

Context is IA wants Self Propelled Guns under Field Arty Rationalization Plan under both wheeled and tracked category.

 

[Kunal Biswas]

FH-77 of 39cal

M46 upgrade of 45cal

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

I am under same impression, I am not aware of other views either ..

I used to be under impression that:
> Wheeled has less all terrain mobility and tracked has more, wheeled can use road network, tracked cannot as it tears up the road.
>Wheeled is more airmobile and is amphib capable, tracked is less of both.
> Wheeled is faster. and lighter, tracked slower, but lends itself to heavier Armour.

Any other views?

Context is IA wants Self Propelled Guns under Field Arty Rationalization Plan under both wheeled and tracked category.

 

[Kunal Biswas]

Some Pics I took during Defexpo 2012 of M777

 

[Twinblade]

Sundaresh said the DRDO was developing the Mark II version of Pinaka, the multi-barrel rocket launcher that fires the Pinaka rockets. While the rocket Pinaka-I has a 10 km to 38 km range, Pinaka-II will have a range of 60 km. Ordnance Factory Board will be producing 5000 Pinaka Mark IIs in the first year. If OFB uses it's full capacity it should be able to make 20,000 to 30,000 per year. For this version we are extending the range from 30 Km to 68 Kms. It is undergoing technical trials which will finish by the end of 2013. In 2014 summers it will go for user trials which will finish by 2015. Pinaka regiments will get upgraded by 2018.

http://www.indiastrategic.in/topstories3042_DRDO_strives_self_sufficient_armament_designer.htm

 

[Kunal Biswas]

That is nice, Very Nice ..

For this version we are extending the range from 30 Km to 68 Kms

 

[ladder]

That is nice, Very Nice ..

I think it's a typo error

The correct one should be from 38 to 60 Km.

Current Pinaka 1 range is 39 Km, which will be extended to 60 Km in mk-2

 

[Kunal Biswas]

Keeping in mind that platform will remain the same, Only rockets will change ..

This will enhance all operational Pinaka MRLS range to be 60kms ..

Current Pinaka 1 range is 39 Km, which will be extended to 60 Km in mk-2

 

[Twinblade]

Keeping in mind that platform will remain the same, Only rockets will change ..

This will enhance all operational Pinaka MRLS range to be 60kms ..

Launcher will have to be upgraded with additional networking features and data link for midcourse guidance.

 

[arnabmit]

Some Pics I took during Defexpo 2012 of M777

Does this have a built in rammer or a separate bent ramming rod is used?

 

[Kunal Biswas]

The latter one is used ..

Does this have a built in rammer or a separate bent ramming rod is used?

 

[Dinesh_Kumar]

BR Forums Chacko Joseph (respected journo Frontier India) bears out Kunal Dada's words: " 45 Cal Arty project full credit goes to OFB, no DRDO involvement" . 2nd Verification by Independent Source.

Link: Ordnance Factories Organization-Department Of Defence Production

 

[Dinesh_Kumar]

****CROSS POST FROM BR FORUMS - COURTESY PANKAJ S******

Quote:
The infrastructure in Ordnance Factories built over the years need continuous updating to keep pace with advancements by induction of state-of-art technologies and to meet futuristic requirements of users. OFB has an ambitious plan of modernization envisaging investment of around Rs.15000 Crore during 12th Plan period (2012-17) as against Rs 583 crore during 11th Plan period.

The major investment plans during the 12th Plan period are:

(a) Augmentation of capacity for production of Tank T-90
(b) Creation of capacity for production of variants of tank T-72
(c) Augmentation of capacity for ICV BMP-II and its variants
(d) Augmentation of capacity for Engines of Armoured vehicles
(e) Nalanda and Korwa project
(f) Augmentaion of capacity for Pinaka Rocket
(g) Creation of capacity for production of 155 mm Howitzer
(h) HMX and Ammonium per-chlorate plant
(i) Booster and Sustainer for Akash missile
(j) Creation of capacity for production of Track Link Assembly for armoured vehicles

Notable Achievements and Awards during 2012-2013 were as follows:

i) As desired by Army, two 155 mm x45 cal Guns are planned to be offered to Army by March 2013 for evaluation. Functionality, Range, Accuracy and Consistency trial of these two indigenously manufactured Guns have been successfully carried out at Central Proof Establishment (CPE), Itarsi and PXE Balasore during December, 2012. The development of these Guns has been a collaborative effort of all the stake holders viz Army, OFB, DRDO and DGQA. Such an exercise has been done for the first time in the country.

ii) Bulk production clearance for Rocket RGB-60 (High Explosive) and its fuse has been received from Indian Navy during 2011-12 and April 2012 respectively. OFB has achieved complete indigenisation of this Rocket, which was hitherto being imported by Navy.

iii) Rifle Factory Ichapur received Raksha Mantri's award for excellence for the 'Best Performing Factory' of 2010-11 at a function held at New Delhi on October 5, 2012.

iv) Shri Shrihari Ashok Tapkir, an employee of Ordnance Factory, Dehuroad, has become the first employee of OFB to climb Mt. Everest. He was a part of a team of Mountaineering Club of Pune and achieved this remarkable feat on May 19, 2012.

In-house R&D: R&D activities at Ordnance Factories primarily aim towards development of new products/ process, upgrades of existing products/ process by re-engineering, absorption of TOT, collaboration/ joint venture with Indian partners/ foreign partners.

To strengthen the R&D set up further in OFs, several actions were initiated to augment the capabilities of Ordnance Development Centres. Designing and analysis software are being procured and are being regularly updated. In many centres, specialized software and hardware have been installed to create facilities for specialized jobs like developing the components through Reverse Engineering Process. Value of Issues (VOI) worth Rs. 923.93 crore have been achieved from indigenously developed projects during 2011-12 and still higher value is expected in 2012-13.

OFB is presently working on development of some important projects like Up-Gunning of 130 mm M 46 Guns to 155 mm/45 Caliber MK-IV, Development of 155 mm X 52 Caliber FH Mounted Gun system with Electronic Modules, Integration of 105 mm LFG on BMP, Development of SRCWS (Stabilized Remote Control Weapons Station) with 12.7 HMG for Navy, Indigenisation of AK-630-M and KAVACH MOD-II through in-house manufacturing and assistance from Indian industry.

Looks like my assumption about the 155/52 gun development being a joint effort between OFB and DRDO was correct. They are collaborating on the 155/45 cal gun too. Good to hear that Army and DGQA are engaged from the start of the project.

It seems industrial scale HMX production is going to start soon

 

[Dinesh_Kumar]

Also mentioned:

> 105mm gun on BMP
> CIWS System Localization AK-630