Major Shaitan Singh
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Artillery is one of the backbone of the Amry to to hold and perform offensive mission over enemy position. The Artillery comes several types, mostly easily classified as Towed and Self propelled, Towed means the Artillery need a wagon which can tow the heavy Artillery, although the Fire power is much huge and Long Range, another is Self propelled here Artillery fixed in a Tracked or wheel platform, mostly look like a Heavy tank.
Indian Army has a Requirement of all kind of Artillery's, Here Army nearly closer to select the winner of Self propelled Howitzer. after heavy competition Russian 155mm MSTA and the South Korean K9 thunder which also a 155mm/52 cal Howitzer. Both in the final run to supply five hundreds of Howitzers to Indian Army
Under the deal the Foreign company can supply first Hundred Howitzer directly from their production line, another four hundred will be built in India under any Private Companies, here the Current Racers Joined with Larsen and Tubro for Samsung K9 Thunder, and it's believed that OFB hands with the Uraltransmash MSTA. Both are the superior Platforms,
Samsung K9 Thunder
Thunder is developed by the Korean Company Samsung a leading South Korean PSU, the Thunder also having a automatic reloader vehicle to arm the Howitzer to fire the Rounds continuously. the reloader vehicle called as K 10 Automatic reloader, the reloader can work with several systems, like It can reload a group of K 9 Thunder Howitzers.
The main advantage of the of the Self propelled Howitzers is the all welded steel armour construction which can save the crew and the Howitzer from small 14.5mm heavy machine Gun fire from Heavy rounds from Mortars and other Howitzers, even those heavy Howitzers can with stand of Anti Tank Mines. the Tanks has five members, the Tank commander, Driver, Gunner and Two loaders,
The Howitzer can fire 155 mm shells from it's 52 caliber Mani gun, which can fire most kind of HE ( High Explosive ) and Rocket assisted Projectiles for extended Range of Targets, the effective firing range is nearly some 30 kilometers, to highest of 56 kilometers with RAP shells. the Howitzer also has a Heavy machine gun to fight against infantry and personal uses, the Howitzer have one 12.7 mm 50 Cal rifle for both anti personnel and anti air uses.
The K9 has the unique capability of firing multiple rounds in same targets making completely damaging the target, it can fire shells with the interval of five seconds, makes it affordable fire power.
with the MRSI mode- Multiple Rounds Simultaneous Impact, the Howitzer can fire three rounds into the Target within fifteen seconds, but all of them can hit the Target in same time, with the help of Modifying the Shells trajectory.
The K9 weights some 47 Tons sounds the same tonnage of Main battle Tanks. with the help of 1000 HP engine it can attain the speed of 67 kilometers per hour.
The Automatic reloader also share same Transport and body, to achieve the range and speed of the Howitzer. it can able to feed 12 shells into the Howitzer within a minute, each reloader has 104 ready to feed shells. the K 10 has automatic reloading technique, which requires low man power. the reloader also have the 12.7mm Heavy machine gun from protect the tank from outside threats.
The entire Howitzer units are Protected from CBRN ( Chemical Biological Radiation and Nuclear) also withstand from and any kind of heavy EMP attacks.
The Samsung and L&T Signed a contract early 2012. to participate in the Indian Army Howitzer contract.
Uraltransmash MSTA-S
The MSTA -S also shares same characteristics with the K9 thunder, unlike the Howitzer fitted in the T 80 Main Battle Tank Chassis and Runs with the T 72 Tanks engines, makes the Indian army can easily maintain and service the Howitzer system if any Problems persisted.
The MSTA-S looks huge is size but weights only 24 Tons, makes 5 Tons lesser than the K9 Thunder. the MSTA-S fire power is bit low compared to the 15 rounders per minute, but MSTA fires only six to eight rounds per minute.
But the Range is almost equal to the K9 thunder, shares the same 12.7mm Heavy machine gun, also it's come with smoke launchers, to escape from threats and laser guided Anti tank missiles.
The MSTA runs with 840 HP engines which gives the Howitzer to attain speed upto some 60 kilometers per hour, slightly less speed and power than the K9.
It's believed that Indian PSU OFB or BEL in hands with the Russian MSTA to produce the Howitzers in India.
India's Defence Goal by Nayeem Sheikh
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