Indian Analysts Rap Plan To Buy Homemade 130mm Artillery Gun

[RKO]

NEW DELHI — Indian Army officers and
defense analysts here criticized as irrational a
Defence Ministry decision to spend nearly as
much buying homemade 130mm Arjun
Catapult artillery systems as it would have on
advanced 155mm howitzers.
India is buying 40 of the Arjun Catapult
systems, which is a hybrid of aging Russian-
made 130mm guns mounted on indigenous
Arjun tank chassis. It will cost nearly as much
as purchasing 155mm light howitzers from the
US subsidiary of BAE Systems — a deal the
Army has been awaiting since 2010.
India’s Defense Acquisition Council, which is
headed by the defense minister and
responsible for weapon procurement decisions,
on Aug. 29 cleared the purchase of 40 Arjun
Catapult guns for $150 million from the
Avadhi-based Combat Vehicle Research and
Development Establishment (CVRDE). This is
part of the Defence Research and Development
Organisation (DRDO).
A senior Indian Army officer said it would
have been better if MoD had approved the
purchase of 145 more capable M777 light
howitzers for nearly the same per-unit cost.
“I fail to understand why MoD finds the light
howitzer guns expensive,” the office said.
The M777 is lighter than the Arjun Catapult
and has a firing range of up to 40 kilometers
compared with 24 kilometers for Arjun
Catapult. In addition, the M777 has advanced
digital fire control systems that Army officers
have said is far superior. The M777 also can
be transported by helicopter.
MoD has been withholding a $650 million
contract for the M777 since 2010 because of
price considerations, the officer said.
One Arjun Catapult would cost $3.75 million
compared with $4.48 million for an M777.
The price for the M777 includes training for
Army personnel, spares, and the latest
electronics instrumentation. The guns would
be procured through the Foreign Military Sales
route, Army officer added
“Ordering the homemade 130mm guns and
holding back the purchase of the much-
needed 155mm light howitzer guns is an
economically irrational decision,” said
Mahindra Singh, a retired Indian Army major
general. It would have cost $179 million
compared to $150 million to buy 40 units of
an advanced 155mm light howitzer in place of
what he said was a “local makeshift
arrangement.”
When asked why the MoD has cleared the
purchase of the Arjun Catapult but not the
howitzer, another Army officer said, “this is
possibly a precursor to the mounting of the
155mm gun on Arjun chassis.”
No official of CVRDE would confirm if there are
plans to mount a 155mm gun on the Arjun
tank.
An MoD source said the Arjun Catapult buy is
only temporary to meet the operational
demands of the Indian Army.
“Ultimately, the Indian Army would be buying
the 155mm howitzers,” the source added.
“The 130mm guns are old Russian guns and
are no comparison to the capabilities of
155mm howitzers,” Singh said. “The DRDO is
pushing for mounting 130mm guns on Arjun
chassis, which are at present mounted on
outdated Vijayanta tank chassis,” Singh
added.
The Army has used the 130mm guns mounted
on Vijayanta chassis since the 1980s but
there are problems of maintenance and
spares, the second Army officer said.
MoD has not been able to procure any 155mm
howitzers in the last 10 years, and procuring
the Arjun Catapult will take care of immediate
operational needs, the second Army officer
said.
The Army needs a variety of 155mm guns that
eventually could cost more than $6 billion as
it plans to replace all of its artillery.
The Army has said it urgently needs the
howitzers to deploy on the mountainous
terrain along the Chinese border.
Even as the Army struggles to buy howitzers
on the international market, Pakistan has
begun upgrading its 130mm M-46 towed
howitzers to the 155mm/45-caliber
configuration with the help of the Chinese, the
first Indian Army officer said. Nearly 400 of
the M-46 guns are being upgraded by China’s
North Industries Corp. Pakistan has also
acquired M-109 A5 155mm howitzers from the
United States, the first Army officer said. ■

Indian Analysts Rap Plan To Buy Homemade 130mm Artillery Gun | Defense News | defensenews.com

 

[Turingsage]

the 130mm Arjun catapult arty is crap. It fails more often than it works and is inaccurate. Basically its shite dressed up as a artillery. Avadhi should be placed in competent hands and its management R&D and workers sacked for incompetence. Only a handful should be retained and fresh recruitment begun by someone like TATA.

 

[The Great One]

130mm artillery hai bekar, ab ki baar modi sarkaar

 

[Archie]

the 130mm Arjun catapult arty is crap. It fails more often than it works and is inaccurate. Basically its shite dressed up as a artillery. Avadhi should be placed in competent hands and its management R&D and workers sacked for incompetence. Only a handful should be retained and fresh recruitment begun by someone like TATA.

So you personally tested these guns and have come up with your opinion based upon your extensive research

these are self propelled artillery Gun
while M777 is an Ultra Light Howitzer
the 130mm Guns are based on the tried and Tested M46 Guns
550 of which are currently deployed against china in Arunachal
these guns are not as capable as modern artillery but will be a big upgrade over the 1970s spec 122 mm Self propelled Guns we currently have

 

[Killswitch]

This platform is a slapped together stop gap. Its a clear sign of how hopeless the procurement system is. The IA should alrady be stocked with good artillery. Instead we are inducting outdated garbage.

Just take a look at what the Chinese are making. This 130mm platform is a joke in comparison.