Indian Artillery Systems

[JEFF]

thanx, then why buy these from bae?

In addition to what Eragon has stated, I also would like to add that now Indian Army has increasingly focusing its attention towards North-East region bordering china. Most of the region is still underdeveloped and reeling under poor infrastrure, it is comprise of dense forest and high mountains, so mobilising the troop and associated equipment like Artillary is just like added headque, in case of eventuality with china it will be very hard for Indian army to move itself very quickly for timely action. That is why India has floated tender for acquiring light artillary with 155 mm configuration, at the same time having a equal firepower equivlent to existing bofors which can be moved quickly with dense forest and high mountains.

Regarding what I had earliely stated regarding existing homegrown LIG is light but don't have the enough range, whereas regarding Bhim it toward artillary heavy as well and hence not sutabile for north east terrain.

 

[Mohammed Azizuddin]

France [Images], which has supplied advanced Mirage-2000 fighters and Scorpene submarines to India, on Tuesday offered to become its full weapons development partner to produce front-line land combat systems for the Indian Army.

"We are ready to transfer front-line technology and work to co-produce and jointly develop advanced systems like higher firepower longer ranger artillery guns and high mobility land mine secure vehicles for Indian security forces," officials of the top French land armament company, Nexter, said in Paris.

The French offer comes at a time when Indian Army is on the threshold of floating its biggest-ever global tenders for 2000-3000 wheeled, towed and tracked 155 mm guns of .52 calibre and 1000-2000 high speed mine protected troop carrying 4x4 and 8x8 specialised troop combat vehicles for forces operating against terrorists and Maoists.

The tenders, according to experts here, could run up to 5-7 billion Euros with deliveries expected in three to five years.

The French offer was echoed by the country's Defence Minister Herve Morim as he threw open the five-day world's biggest land system exhibition, Eurosatory 2008 near Paris.

Spelling out that terrorism had become an international scourge, Morim said France was ready to co-produce and jointly develop high-tech weapons with its strategic partners.

His comments came as leading companies from the US, Europe, Africa and others have put on display technology-driven new weapons systems to combat terrorism keeping their first hand experience gathered during operations in Afghanistan.

Indian Army is planning to float new tenders for purchasing up to 3,000 155 mm .52 calibre artillery guns of which 814 would be wheeled guns and another 1,500 towed guns to bring its artillery firepower up to NATO standards.

The state-owned French land combat systems company, which has recently downsized to become Europe's leading artillery and tank building company has expressed its willingness to co-produce and jointly develop land combat systems with India.

However, Indian defence planners are in a quandary over the purchase of higher firepower artillery guns, with an apparent hesitation in going in for controversial Bofors guns.

While Indian army has progressed tremendously in modernising its infantry and armoured units, its artillery upgrade programme is running 10 years behind schedule.

Nexter is offering its just-produced truck-mounted Caesar wheeled .52 calibre guns which, its top official Laurent Nicolas says, 'is unequalled in strategic mobility and air transportability in a C-130 J transport aircraft'.

The French guns have already been inducted into the French Army and have seen action in Afghanistan.

For the Indian Army's forthcoming order, the French firm would be in competition with Israel's Atmos Soltam System, Serbian Nora, South African Condor and matching guns from Slovakia.

Nexter officials said they are ready to offer the guns on government-to-government sale basis if India so wanted. The Caesar gun can fire six rounds to a distance of 40 km with a rate of fire of six rounds per minute and a gun crew of just five.

The Caesar guns support on board navigator and ballistics computer with muzzle velocity measurement radar and can be used with any fire control system.

"We are ready to transfer full and total technology of the gun systems to India," said Nicolas in comments, which assume significance in view of remarks by Defence Minister A K Antony that foreign nations were reluctant to part with frontline technology to India.

These guns were on display at the Eurosatory. The French company is already collaborating with India to make THL 20 guns, which are being mounted as turrets for army aviation's light combat attack helicopters which are undergoing tests at HAL.

"We have delivered under an agreement signed in 2006 80 such turrets," Nicolas said, indicating that Nexter would also be bidding for India's expected request for proposals for 400 new infantry combat vehicles, which are nuclear biological chemicals (NBC) proof.

Source:France offers Indian Army its best artillery

 

[blain2]

Not sure why Americans are not participating? The American M series is by far one of the best 155mm platforms out there for both Towed and SP categories.

 

[SU 30 MKI]

Not sure why Americans are not participating? The American M series is by far one of the best 155mm platforms out there for both Towed and SP categories.

Well American light weight Gun still going under deployment in its army

 

[blain2]

Well American light weight Gun still going under deployment in its army

Well 155mm is not considered light weight as such and I also don't think the Indian RFP is for a light weight gun only. There was an IA RFP for a light gun for use with the Mountain divs but that I believe is a separate requirement.

 

[Energon]

Not sure why Americans are not participating? The American M series is by far one of the best 155mm platforms out there for both Towed and SP categories.

The French have more experience dealing with India in these matters and have put their best foot forward by offering Transfer of Technology, which they know always gets the latter interested. Also, if I'm not mistaken, ToT is a prerequisite for any bidder. The US companies are unable to make this offer without first getting approval from congress. From what I understand most defense firms itching to enter the Indian markets have already put their requests in and are awaiting a response. As soon as they get the permission for ToT they'll be throwing their hats into the ring.

 

[Goodperson]

Not sure why Americans are not participating? The American M series is by far one of the best 155mm platforms out there for both Towed and SP categories.

Its all because of politics, Bofor's Guns are the best they are battle proven on high terrains. Congress does not want to order them due to kickbacks received by their government earlier.

 

[Mohammed Azizuddin]

Apparently, this is what was offered...

PARIS: French defence major Nexter hopes to interest the Indian Army in its Caesar truck-mounted howitzer that it is projecting as the "artillery gun of the 21st century".

The forward-facing 155mm/52 calibre gun is mounted on a 4x4 or 6x6 truck chassis depending on the terrain it has to be deployed in and is superior to the self-propelled or towed variety of the weapon for which the Indian Army has floated a global tender earlier this year, its manufacturer says.

"Its low weight of around 18 tonnes reduces both complexity and cost. Its strategic, operational and tactical mobility is superior to that of both the self-propelled guns and towed guns. It matches the reactivity of the self-propelled guns and the light weight of the towed variety," Laurent Nicolas, Nexter's vice president for international affairs Asia and Australia, told a group of visiting Indian journalists at an international defence exposition here.

"When compared with a towed gun and its hauler, the Caesar is shorter and requires less space, is far more mobile and maneuverable, both cross country and on the road, and requires fewer gun crew members.

"When on the move, gun crew survival is ensured by an armoured cab, and the time spent stationary at the firing position is very short," Nicolas added while pointing to the benefits of the gun at the Eurosatory 2008 defence exhibition in Paris-Nord Villepinte.

"We are open to any kind of Indian specifications. We are ready for full transfer of technology, but this is subject to the French government's permission. We are also open for joint development, private partnership or redevelopment in the customer country," the official said.

Transfer of technology is mandated under India's Defence Procurement Procedure enunciated in 2006. It contains a key offset clause that mandates that 30 percent of all military deals valued at over Rs.3 billion ($75 million) be reinvested in the country.

 

[Mohammed Azizuddin]

INSIGHT INTO THE SYSTEM....

he Caesar truck-mounted artillery system is a 155mm 52-calibre self-propelled gun developed by Nexter Systems (formerly Giat), based in Versailles, in cooperation with Lohr Industrie of Hangenbieten, France.
"Caesar is equipped with a 155mm, 52-calibre barrel and can maintain a firing rate of six to eight rounds a minute in sustained fire."

An initial five systems were ordered by the French Army and were delivered in June 2003 for technical and operational evaluation. In December 2004, Giat was awarded a contract for 72 Caesar systems to equip eight land artillery batteries of the French Army, to replace towed TRF1 systems.

Caesar entered production in June 2006. The first vehicle was delivered to the French Army in April 2007 for extensive firing trials. Further deliveries are planned from 2008–2011. The system has also been demonstrated in Malaysia and in the USA.

In April 2006, Thailand placed an order for six Caesar systems for the Thai Army, the first export order for the system.

In July 2006, an order for 76 systems was placed by the Saudi Arabian National Guard (SANG).

Systems for the French Army will be mounted on the Sherpa 5 6x6 truck chassis from Renault Trucks Defense.

CEASAR SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT

The Caesar artillery system evolved from the earlier 155 AM F3 automotive gun, which used the chassis of the AMX-13 light tank.

Caesar is equipped with all the systems needed for independent operation, a cabin to protect the six man gun crew against shell fragments and small arms fire, an initial ammunition supply of 16 complete rounds and instrumentation for navigation, aiming, ballistic calculations and command aids. The system was specifically designed to meet the fire support requirements of rapid deployment forces.

In March 2004, Giat entered an agreement with United Defense (now BAE Systems Land and Armaments) for that company to market Caesar in the USA.

In September 2004, Giat signed a teaming agreement with ADI Ltd of Australia to offer Caesar to the Australian Army for its Land 17 Artillery Replacement programme.

ARMAMENT

Caesar is equipped with a 155mm, 52 calibre barrel and can maintain a firing rate of 6 to 8 rounds per minute in sustained fire, or three rounds in 15 seconds in rapid fire.
"A unit of eight Caesar self-propelled artillery vehicles can dispense more than 1t of projectiles in one minute."

The FAST-Hit computerised fire management system, developed jointly by Nexter and EADS Defense Electronics, an Intertechnique ROB4 muzzle velocity radar system and a SAGEM Sigma 30 navigation system and Global Positioning System (GPS) are fitted so there is no requirement for topographical teams and goniometers.

The weapon has an automatic hydraulic laying system and the loading system is semi-automatic.

The gun can be set into and out of action in less than one minute. The weapon system configuration and the provision of hydraulic drives give a time of approximately 30 seconds to take the Caesar out of battery.

A unit of eight Caesar self-propelled artillery vehicles can dispense, in less than one minute, more than 1t of projectiles, 1,500 bomblets or 48 smart anti-tank munitions on targets at ranges up to 40km.

FIRE CONTROL

In the French Army, Caesar is integrated with the Thales Land and Joint Systems Atlas artillery C4I (command, control, communications and intelligence) system. The system provides onboard terminals for communications and real-time firing sequence management including fowarding of fire-support requests and transmission of firing orders according to target type, ammunition type and gun availability.

MUNITIONS

Caesar is capable of using a wide range of ammunition for deployment against protected and unprotected targets, to create counter-mobility obstacles to block the manoeuvres of enemy armoured forces and to obscure or illuminate an area.

Caesar can fire conventional High Explosive (HE) or new generation cargo rounds, which provide increased accuracy and terminal effectiveness.

The Ogre shell, which is in series production for the French Army, is an anti-tank and fragmentation bomblet dispensing round for use against relatively unprotected area targets such as command posts, artillery batteries, light armoured vehicles or logistic sites.

Ogre dispenses 63 bomblets, each fitted with a self-destruct mechanism. The bomblets are capable of penetrating more than 90mm of armour. A salvo of six Ogre shells releases 378 bomblets to saturate an area of 3 hectares at a range of 35km.

Bonus rounds with smart submunitions can be launched against tanks and other types of medium and heavy armoured vehicles. Bonus rounds have been developed by Nexter Ammunition and Intertechnique of France, and Bofors of Sweden.
"Caesar has an unrefuelled travel range of 600km and maximum speed of 100km/h."

The Bonus round carries two smart anti-tank submunitions to a range of 34km. A top-attack flight profile delivers the Explosively Formed Penetrator (EFP) warhead to the roof of the tank which is generally more vulnerable than the heavily armour-protected sides and front.

Base bleed shells provide a considerably increased range by filling the vacuum and reducing the turbulence behind the projectile without any loss of accuracy.

The maximum ranges are up to 42km for Extended Range Full Bore - Base Bleed (ERFB-BB) rounds.

PROPULSION

Prototypes of Caesar used the Daimler Benz Unimog 6x6 series chassis. Production systems will be mounted on the Renault Trucks Defense Sherpa 5 6x6. Sherpa 5 has a 5t payload capacity.

Caesar has an unrefuelled travel range of 600km and maximum speed of 100km/h. A centralised ground pressure distribution system gives speeds of 50km/h on hardened tracks. It has a six-cylinder diesel engine, developing 240hp and a power-to-weight ratio of 13.6hp/t.

Excluding its crew and ready ammunition supply, Caesar can be carried in a single load of a C-130 Hercules transporter

 

[Mohammed Azizuddin]

Some Pix...

 

[qsaark]

By Brig Gurmeet Kanwal (Retd) Published : May 2008

New Delhi. Despite the increasing obsolescence of artillery guns, mortars and rocket launchers, no contract has so far been concluded for their replacement even though protracted trials of several 155mm howitzers were carried out over the last few years.

In view of the nuclear shadow under which the next conflict will be fought, offensive and defensive manoeuvres will be extremely limited. Consequently, it will be necessary to generate firepower asymmetries to destroy the adversary’s war waging potential. In such a scenario, the failure to modernise the Indian artillery will have serious repercussions for national security.

Hence, it is extremely heartening to note that in January 2008 the Ministry of Defence (MoD) began to make long-awaited amends by issuing requests for Proposals (RFP) for various types of 155mm howitzers.

In the post-Kargil 1999 scenario in the Indian sub-continent, the artillery has proved to be a decisive arm. Indeed, even a battle-winning one.

It was clear to all perceptive observers who followed the Kargil conflict closely that infantry soldiers had to repeatedly attack uphill to recapture the mountaintops at Kargil taken quietly by the Pakistan army.

It was actually the artillery that had paved the way for victory. The Indian Army deployed an overwhelming superiority of its concentrated firepower, and that enabled the infantry attacks to be launched for repossessing the lost territory. Operationally, the Army also used the opportunity to test and fine-tune the indigenously-developed Pinaka Multi Barrel Rocket Launchers (MBRLs).

The Indian Army has approved the 155mm howitzer as the standard artillery caliber, but new, modern systems are yet to be acquired to replace the old units and augment the strength to requirement. Precision-guided 155mm artillery shells can destroy bunkers, bridges and small buildings with a single-shot kill probability (SSKP) as high as 80 percent.

Improved conventional munition (ICMs) shells carrying anti-personnel grenades and lethal “air-burst” ammunition can be “dispensed” over soft targets such as administrative bases, rations and fuel-storage dumps, headquarters and rest areas. When these are available in large quantities, the artillery can cause much greater destruction and indirectly reduce the number of casualties in the infantry.

Approximately 400 FH-77B 155mm guns that proved their combat superiority in the Kargil conflict, had been purchased in the mid-1980s from Bofors of Sweden to equip 20 medium-artillery regiments.

These guns had enhanced the effectiveness of the artillery by an order of magnitude. Notably, the 105mm Indian field guns and the older 130mm Russian medium guns in service since the early 1970s have reached an advanced stage of obsolescence; while World War II vintage 25 pounders, 75/24 Indian mountain guns, 122mm field guns and 100mm field guns have already been phased out of service.

In the recent years, just when a contract for 120 tracked and 180 wheeled self-propelled (SP) 155mm guns was about to be concluded after years of repeated trials, South African arms manufacturer Denel, the leading contender for the contract, was alleged to have been involved in a corruption scam in an earlier deal for Anti-Material Rifles (AMRs). New tenders have now been floated.

FROM FIRE SUPPORT TO DESTRUCTION

From its original status as a “supporting” arm, artillery has now graduated to a full-fledged combat arm that dominates the battlefield with its inherently destructive firepower. In the classic “fire and manoeuvre” tactics practised during operations on 20th century battlefields, artillery traditionally provided the firepower punch while armoured, mechanised and infantry units manoeuvred to gain tactical advantage.

Artillery engagements were generally limited to the battle where own troops were in direct contact with the enemy. “Covering fire” during attack and “defensive fire” to beat back enemy attacks were provided in a supporting role.

Artillery guns, mortars and rocket launchers were considered area weapons and the neutralisation of large areas of ground with inherent dispersion of fire, rather than destruction, was the established primary task.

Today, once a threat from across the borders has been discerned, the artillery, firing 155mm precision strike ammunition can be employed to destroy the intruding forces quickly so that the aggression can be vacated and sanctity of the international boundary restored.

Targets that can be seen by the troops in contact with the enemy can be illuminated by a Laser beam by a ground-based artillery observer (spotter) carrying a Laser Target Designator. Those targets that are behind crest lines and on reverse slopes can be designated by an airborne artillery observer in an army aviation helicopter or an Unarmed Aerial Vehicle (UAV).

Improved conventional munitions (ICMs) shells carrying anti-personnel grenades and lethal “air-burst” ammunition can be “dispensed” over soft targets such as administrative bases, rations and fuel storage dumps, headquarters and rest areas. As these are not precision strike munitions, these have to be accurately directed using commando artillery observers or TV camera equipped UAVs to achieve the desired effect.

Precision munitions are expensive, but they turn out to be cheaper as only a few have to be used to destroy designated targets. Plus, they offer the advantage of Assured Kill, making operations that much easier and also saving lives that would otherwise be lost in an assault.

Long-range MBRLs such as Smerch can enable the enemy’s sensitive command centres to be hit with impunity.

Had Smerch MBRLs been available during the Kargil conflict, the Pakistani HQ and administrative base at Skardu and other targets deep inside Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (***) would have been hit with devastating results.

Other force multipliers include Gun or Weapon Locating Radars (WLRs) for effective counter-bombardment, UAVs equipped with TV cameras and suitable for high altitude operations for target acquisition and engagement and damage assessment, powerful binoculars for target engagement by day and long-range night vision devices for the same purpose at night.

The Indian Army had in fact requested for the Gun Locating Radars in the mid-1980s, but their acquisition was approved by the Government only after the Kargil conflict, in which a majority of the Indian casualties were due to the Pakistani artillery, which Indian forces could not detect and therefore could not neutralize effectively. Now, the Army has taken delivery of a dozen radars from the US arms major Raytheon under a government-togovernment contract. More of these radars are to be made in India as required.

The Indian artillery is playing an increasingly important role in the successful execution of integrated land-air operations on the modern battlefield.

The emerging philosophy of employment of artillery firepower visualises the synergetic orchestration of all firepower resources across the length and breadth of the battlefield to cause destruction, systematic degradation of the enemy’s fighting potential and suppression of specific combat echelons of the enemy from operating effectively for limited durations.

The latter function will include the suppression of the enemy’s air defence (SEAD) assets to enable own attack helicopters to operate freely and to also enable ground attack aircraics, and India has taken up the gauntlet by building one at Cochin. Fincantieri, which is building the Count Cavour in Italy, has been roped in as the consultant to make the best use of its expertise and experience.

This lesson has not been lost on UK which has not built carriers for years. Hence it is jointly planning to build two similar 60,000 ton aircraft carriers with France for interoperability. UK hopes to learn from the experience of the French Navy which encountered problems in the size of the nuclear powered Charles de Gaulle to operate the newer Rafale aircraft. Despite excellent calculations, the ship's landing deck had to be enlarged, post facto.

The ship's bridge also was located too far forward and led to turbulence for aircraft landing and the vessel lost a propeller in the Caribbean islands. The ship limped back to France with a tug in escort.

All these issues are being rectified in the new UK French carriers.

When there is no operational flat top platform for continuation training and deck landing qualifications, the consequence is a backlog of pilots rapidly losing their deck landing qualifications DLQ. Indian Navy pilots are being trained in USA and at IAF bases in India as the Indian Navy is set to receive its first MiG 29Ks in the coming months.

Notably, the first MiG 29K flew spectacularly at the MAKS aviation show outside Moscow recently.

INS Viraat was to have been decommissioned by 2010 but now it appears it will have to bat on longer than anticipated, as both of India's aircraft carriers on order have been delayed. The Gorshkov - to be christened INS Vikramaditya on commissioning - being refitted at the Sevmash shipyard at Severnodinsk in Russia, is delayed for delivery from 2008 to 2010 and the head of the shipyard has been removed for the faux pas. Nevsokye Design Bureau has been asked to look in to this.

A delegation led by UK-trained engineer Vice Admiral B S Randhawa, the Controller of Warship Production and Acquisition (CWPA), slated to be the next Chief of Material, had visited Russia mid May and inspected the Mk 1143.4 Admiral Gorshkov, and yet again in July. He confirmed that the ship is behind schedule.

Strangely, the Russians also asked for price escalation, saying that they had made a mistake in calculating the required work, and despite also that the delay was due to their own problems.

Even then, Defence Secretary Shekar Dutt, who is now India's Deputy National Security Advisor (NSA), and Secretary Defence Finance V K Misra, visited Moscow in July to help resolve the issue.

According to former Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Admiral Arun Prakash, the Russians need to be penalized for the delay as they had already been afforded one escalation.

The Navy Chief, Admiral Sureesh Mehta, is an experienced aviator who, like his predecessor, has flown off INS Viraat and Vikrant as a green horn Sea Hawk rookie pilot. He was looking forward to inducting the Vikramaditya during his tenure. He has indicated a new date for its induction, as after late 2008. It will be a challenge for the next Navy team in South Block to ensure that the vessel is transferred to India not far behind the schedule.

The 273 meter long, 30 year old 48,500 ton Gorshkov's keel was laid in 1976 at the Nikolayev Shipyard now in Ukraine, and when commissioned, it operated 14 Yakovlev Yak-141 vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) Fighters, eight Yak-38 Forger VTOL fighters, as well as 16 Kamov Ka-25 and Ka-252RLD Hormone and Ka- 252PS Helix anti-submarine warfare (ASW), reconnaissance and search and- rescue (SAR) helicopters.

The ship was earmarked for scrapping, and then offered to the Indian Navy free, provided India paid for its refurbishment and bought Russian aircraft to operate from it. Admiral J G Nadkarni was among those who supported its acquisition towards fulfilling the Indian Navy's need for aircraft carriers.

After much delay and procrastination, India signed a US$ 1.5 billion Gorshkov modernisation contract in 2004 under Defence Minister George Fernandes' direction. Its refurbishment was agreed at $ 700 million, and the rest was for the 16 MiG-29K fighters, helicopters, miscellaneous equipment and weapons from third parties.

Many of the carrier's old systems are being removed while the new equipment includes some Made-in- India sensors and other systems.

The Anti Aircraft system is likely to be the Israeli Barak, though this acquisition is under the CBI's scanner over allegations of bribe by IAI/Rafael to an Indian middleman in the Rs 1100 crore deal.

Israeli missiles had to be purchased in the wake of the 1999 Kargil War when the naval brass found to its dismay that Indian naval ships had no protective missile cover, thanks to the paralysis in the Ministry of Defence (MoD) from 1990 onwards.

Gorshkov's 24 meter wide deck has been fitted with three arrester wires, as opposed to the US carriers which have four and two 30-ton and 20 ton lifts located on the port side, and one aft of the superstructure for continuous operations of MiG-29Ks on the 2,400 square meters deck space.

The MiG 29KUBs are being fitted with French Thales Top Sight helmet sighting device for attack, and the Sagem Sigma-95 laser-gyroscope inertial navigation system, with open architecture.

The open architecture enables changes easily.

The cockpit will have three multipurpose MFI10-6 data screens in the MiG-29KUB's front and rear cockpits, the IKSH-1K Heads Up Display (HUD). Target data in video will be from Phazatron with NIIR radar, the new-generation Zhuk-ME optronic radar, in digital terrain contour matching (TERCOM) map along fiber optic channels. Many innovations are new and never been installed in Russia's inventory earlier.

Russians' lack of experience in the new systems could be contributing to the delay.

© India Strategic

 

[Gabbar]

Murky Competition for $2B India Howitzer Order May End Soon… Or Not

India’s $2 billion purchase of about 400 new 155mm self-propelled howitzers is intended to supplement India’s dwindling artillery stocks, while out-ranging and out-shooting Pakistan’s self-propelled M109 155mm guns.

It seems simple enough, and BAE Systems Bofors had been competing against systems from Israel’s Soltam and Denel of South Africa.

Unfortunately, the competition has mostly served as a cautionary tale, a years-long affair filled with legal drama, accusations of corruption, and more than one re-start. Meanwhile, India’s stock of operational 155mm howitzers has dwindled to around 200. In 2007, a new RFP was issued, and the competition was expanded. Is there an end in sight? Or a potential winner?

There are rumors that a winner in the light 155/39 caliber howitzer competition is about to be announced – and it isn’t the contender that many expected…

Competition Background


Soltam Rascal
(click to view full)US-India Defense and Strategic Affairs reported on the competition in 2004, and noted that this was expected to be one of the first large defense procurement decisions made by India’s new United Progressive Alliance government. The question now is whether a decision can be made within that government’s term(s) of office.

After multiple firing trials and several years, India’s competition managed to end up without any competitors left standing. All 3 competitors (Bofors FH-77B05, Soltam TIG 2002, Denel G5/2000) failed to meet India’s accuracy specifications in 2003 trials, but all three improved their guns to compete again in 2004. There are reports that Soltam fell out of the race after its barrel burst during field trials, while South Africa’s Denel sidelined in 2004 and then eliminated in 2005, after the Indian government accused the manufacturer of corruption in another defence deal.

That created problems on 2 fronts. Denel’s financial situation was deteriorating, and The Times of India reported that the contract may have been critical to the firm’s financial survival. In hindsight, that concern was valid, but Denel managed to survive the loss. A win certainly would have made a significant difference, and might have allowed Denel to delay its major corporate restructuring and associated strategic rethinking for several years.


Bofors’ FH-77B05:
Winner by default?The other problem involved India’s Ministry of Defence. DID has noted the extreme risk-averse behavior of India’s defense procurement establishment and its effects on contract awards, however, and Defense India notes that when a competition devolves to a single-vendor solution, the practice is often to re-tender.

The resulting dithering was relieved when allegations that Bofors had paid INR 640 million (about $16 million) in bribes to secure the order eliminated the last contender. Bofors Defence AB had been blacklisted by India before, after allegations of kickbacks in a 1987 deal during Rajiv Gandhi’s regime. That scandal had derailed a planned 1,500 gun buy, reducing it to 410 FH-77B howitzers.

Those accused in the Bofors case would eventually have their day in court, however, and win. In April 2007, India re-opened its howitzer competition again, and the passage of time had created a number of changes in the requirements and options.

Meanwhile, the support contract with Bofors for India’s in-service howitzers expired in 2001, and India’s stock is believed to sit at just 200 operational 155/39 caliber guns as of January 2009.

 

[ironman]

Indian Army to induct first network-centric artillery system

13:00 GMT, June 9, 2009 Taking the first step towards acquiring network-centric warfare capabilities, the Indian Army is all set to induct a computerised command and control system to integrate its artillery weapon operations.

Known as Project Sakthi, the Artillery Combat Command and Control System (ACCCS) is a major division of the Tactical Command Control Communication and Intelligence (Tac C3I) system, senior Army officers said.

"ACCCS is the artillery component of the TAC C3I grid, which is the first step of the Army to acquire the capability of network-centric warfare at the tactical level," they said.

The system is scheduled to be inducted on Friday.

"Sakthi is the first C3I system being fielded in the Indian Army. The role of ACCCS is to automate and integrate all artillery operational functions and provide decision support at all levels of artillery command from the corps level down to the battery or guns level in a networked environment," the officers said.

Taking the first step towards acquiring network-centric warfare capabilities, the Army is all set to induct a computerised command and control system to integrate its artillery weapon operations.

Developed by the Army's Directorate General of Information Systems, Shakti's three main electronic devices Enhanced Tactical Computer, Gun Display Unit and Hand Held Computer are produced by the defence public sector undertaking Bharat Electronics Limited.

Shakti, the officers said, would give the troops the capability to concentrate artillery fire power at operational and tactical levels in a reduced time-frame and deliver a decisive blow to the enemy at the desired place.

"The capability of rapid acquisition, processing and dissemination of battlefield information and delivering crushing blows to enemy's critical assets, even before he makes contact with our forces, will be the deciding factor in any future conflict," they said, explaining the need for such a system.

ACCS, they said, would perform five critical functions including 'Technical Fire Control' for trajectory computations and 'Tactical Fire Control' primarily involving processing of fire requests at battery to corps level and ammunition management.

It also ensure 'Deployment Management' for guns and observation posts for defensive and offensive operations, 'Operational Logistics' for assisting in timely provisioning of ammunition and logistics support and 'Fire Planning' to facilitate production of fire plans, task tables and automatic generation of gun programmes.

Army chief General Deepak Kapoor will induct Shakti at a function in the presence of Director General Information Systems Lt Gen P C Katoch and BEL managing director Ashwani Kumar Datt.

----
DDI News

 

[Screaming Skull]

"SHAKTI" dedication to Indian Army​

Friday, June 12, 2009

“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 atteended 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.

PIB Press Release

 

[digitaltiger]

Great News.. The electronics warfare would control next Gen wars. Way to India