DRDO 155mm/52cal Artillery Program (ATAGS)

[Water Car Engineer]

 

[Water Car Engineer]

DRDO Holds Parleys with Tata, L&T, BEL for Howitzers

Major Indian private and public sector players including Tata, Mahindra, L&T and BEL are holding parleys with DRDO for developing an indigenous advanced artillery howitzer for the Army.

The premier defence research agency recently held an interaction with the stakeholders to explore the feasibility of involving Indian industries in the development of Advance Towed Artillery Guns System (ATAGS), DRDO officials said.

"Objective of the interaction was to explore and encourage participation of Indian industries in the ATAGS project and generate a base for its design, development, manufacturing and integration," they said.

DRDO is currently developing the 155 mm, 52 calibre ATAGS at the Pune-based Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE).

Some of the major private and public sector firms which participated in the interaction were Tata Power, L&T, Bharat Forge, Mahindra Defence System, BHEL and BEL, the officials said.

Improved firepower at longer ranges, higher accuracy and enhanced survivability are some of the primary requirements for this gun system, they said.

"Efforts are being made to develop new technologies for weapon platforms, automation and control systems, recoil management, materials to achieve improved weapon performance," another official said.

After the Bofors gun controversy in 1986, no new gun has been procured by the army for its artillery units.

The army is also hoping to induct the Bofors guns manufactured indigenously by the Ordnance Factory Board at its facilities in Jabalpur.

DRDO Holds Parleys with Tata, L&T, BEL for Howitzers

 

[Abingdonboy]

DRDO Holds Parleys with Tata, L&T, BEL for Howitzers

Major Indian private and public sector players including Tata, Mahindra, L&T and BEL are holding parleys with DRDO for developing an indigenous advanced artillery howitzer for the Army.

The premier defence research agency recently held an interaction with the stakeholders to explore the feasibility of involving Indian industries in the development of Advance Towed Artillery Guns System (ATAGS), DRDO officials said.

"Objective of the interaction was to explore and encourage participation of Indian industries in the ATAGS project and generate a base for its design, development, manufacturing and integration," they said.

DRDO is currently developing the 155 mm, 52 calibre ATAGS at the Pune-based Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE).

Some of the major private and public sector firms which participated in the interaction were Tata Power, L&T, Bharat Forge, Mahindra Defence System, BHEL and BEL, the officials said.

Improved firepower at longer ranges, higher accuracy and enhanced survivability are some of the primary requirements for this gun system, they said.

"Efforts are being made to develop new technologies for weapon platforms, automation and control systems, recoil management, materials to achieve improved weapon performance," another official said.

After the Bofors gun controversy in 1986, no new gun has been procured by the army for its artillery units.

The army is also hoping to induct the Bofors guns manufactured indigenously by the Ordnance Factory Board at its facilities in Jabalpur.

DRDO Holds Parleys with Tata, L&T, BEL for Howitzers

The DRDO MUST outsource production to a pvt entity (my ideal candidates are L&T and TATA) to make this a success and in IA service in sufficient numbers.

What I don't get is there is a separate procurement going on for towed artillery systems from foreign firms. So will the IA be procuring a foreign towed gun and DRDO's ATAGS?

 

[Sneaker]

The DRDO MUST outsource production to a pvt entity (my ideal candidates are L&T and TATA) to make this a success and in IA service in sufficient numbers.

What I don't get is there is a separate procurement going on for towed artillery systems from foreign firms. So will the IA be procuring a foreign towed gun and DRDO's ATAGS?

They need to outsource everything (design to manufacturing)... Infact, they need to get out of the picture for many of the low-end stuff. These things can be dealt directly by private party and customer (Army). DRDO should quit trying to make everything under sun.

 

[axisofevil]

After the Bofors controversy, Congress did nothing for decades.

 

[Zarvan]

Hope it doesn't prove to be another failure

 

[Abingdonboy]

Hope it doesn't prove to be another failure

The DRDO's success far outweigh their failures now shoo troll before this degrades into a India vs Pakistan thread. That would be all too humiliating I'm sure.

 

[Water Car Engineer]

Hope it doesn't prove to be another failure

Or success?

I hope to see the project going forward in PPP fashion.

 

[The_Sidewinder]

@Water Car Engineer
Thanks for posting mate.
I think in time, DRDO ATAG & other new artillery gun which will be procured under separate tender will transform IA's indirect fire support capabilities to a whole new level. This has been one area where we lagged behind. I am fascinated by these new developments.

May be its about time either to procure or develop new generation of LMG, MMG & HMGs. Insas Lmg is not bad, but our LMG & HMG are obsolate to say the list.

 

[Water Car Engineer]

They need to outsource everything (design to manufacturing)... Infact, they need to get out of the picture for many of the low-end stuff. These things can be dealt directly by private party and customer (Army). DRDO should quit trying to make everything under sun.

I dont think so, ARDE is become more and more competent, why snob a lab that's actually progressing? They're also working on several other things too.

Should the routine of automatically giving ToT to OFB change? I think so, maybe rope in competent and interested private players. Which they've been doing for several things recently.

 

[Sneaker]

I dont think so, ARDE is become more and more competent, why snob a lab that's actually progressing? They're also working on several other things too.

Should the routine of automatically giving ToT to OFB change? I think so, maybe rope in competent and interested private players. Which they've been doing for several things recently.

Let them be a bidder like everybody else. Let them pitch their technology against private players'. With the experience that we have, I have, there is no hope for any of these govt labs except for some very limited and core technology which are not currently useful (but have good potential). Until they have monopoly, nothing would come out right, if anything come out at all...

 

[Bang Galore]

The DRDO MUST outsource production to a pvt entity (my ideal candidates are L&T and TATA) to make this a success and in IA service in sufficient numbers.

Bharat Forge would be a better bet, they are pretty much the group with the skills & ability to do a world class job here. L&T & TATA too could do it but this is bread & butter for Bharat Forge.

 

[Water Car Engineer]

Let them be a bidder like everybody else. Let them pitch their technology against private players'. With the experience that we have, I have, there is no hope for any of these govt labs except for some very limited and core technology which are not currently useful (but have good potential). Until they have monopoly, nothing would come out right, if anything come out at all...

They dont bid, they give the technology to who ever is capable of producing it. Until recently, it's been only HAL, OFB, BEL. And none of these private players are doing serious R&D just yet either.

DRDO labs have been giving some ToT/technical assistance to couple of private players already recently. This is quite a recent trend.

Examples

TATA Kestrel platform

RF Seekers for BMD Interceptors

IIR Seeker Assemblies for NAG

MMW Seeker for Nag, Helina, etc

Laser Seeker for CLGM

IRDE Electronic panoramic sight

Sub Assemblies

ToT given to VEM Technologies Pvt Ltd

Monopulse Seeker for cruise missiles, ToT given to Data Patterns pvt ltd

 

[Sneaker]

They dont bid, they give the technology to who ever is capable of producing it. Until recently, it's been mostly HAL and OFB. None of these private players are doing serious R&D just yet either.

DRDO have been giving some ToT/technical assistance to couple of private players already recently. This is quite a recent trend.

Examples

TATA Kestrel platform

RF Seekers for BMD Interceptors

IIR Seeker Assemblies for NAG

MMW Seeker for Nag, Helina, etc

Laser+Seeker+for+CLGM

IRDE Electronic panoramic sight

Sub Assemblies

ToT given to VEM Technologies Pvt Ltd

Monopulse Seeker for cruise missiles ToT five to Data Patterns pvt lt

I am not knowledgeable enough to comment on electronics, but "technology" in mechanical systems is a joke. Futuristic artillery? may be in 3500 BCE, but not now. Apart from some nice CAD model, what other info do we have on arty system? self loader? no? shoot and scoot? no? auto fire control such that multiple rounds (typically 7) land at same time (to avoid CIWS and assist in shoot & scoot)? no? then what is difference between WW2 arty and this one? Hell, there isn't a single proto of this yet, right? In current scenario (like recent cease fire violation), imagine if we had guided arties, with fire finders.. by the time first enemy round lands, their bunker/vehicle mounted arty is blown up.. do we have that tech? no? Private players are not doing R&D because govt doesn't buy anything from them. Otherwise they would purchase tech, even a generation old (initially) and develop from there... not to keep on looking for "futuristic" tech from these labs which for rest of the world is antique..

 

[Water Car Engineer]

? then what is difference between WW2 arty and this one?

What? Did you even read the specs?

It's a fully computerized artillery piece.

So is for example Dhanush.