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03 JAN,2012
JOBS at a Barrow weapons factory set to be extended by 18 months after India revealed plans to buy 145 guns.
The M777 light howitzer gun is built at BAE Systems Global Combat Systems factory in Barrow, alongside the shipyard, with final fitting and testing completed at Hattiesburg in Mississippi.
The gun has previously only been sold to three countries; the US, Canada and Australia, but now after months of speculation, Indian news agencies have reported the countrys defence minister is ready to buy 145 guns.
The procurement was stalled after a report on the trials was released, but the program is back on track now, according to the defence ministry in India.
In a press statement, Indian defence minister AK Antony said user trials of the gun have been completed, with maintainability testing and an evaluation by the Director General of Quality Assurance still to come.
He told the Indian parliament on December 12 that India was looking to buy the guns through the US governments Foreign Military Sales program.
The FMS program means, in effect, the US will buy the guns from BAE, and then sell them on to India. An agreement is expected to be made between the US and India by the middle of 2012 and a formal contract between the US and BAE signed afterwards. An insider at Global Combats Systems in Barrow described the news as excellent and said an order of 145 guns would be expected to extend the life of the M777 programme by 18 months, safeguarding the programme and the 380 jobs at Barrow to the middle of 2015.
Reports suggest Indian army officials want the howitzers quickly to boost firepower in high-altitude battlegrounds after failed attempts to purchase the M777 in the past. India has not bought any artillery guns since the 1980s.
North West Evening Mail | News | Jobs boost for BAE if India buys guns
JOBS at a Barrow weapons factory set to be extended by 18 months after India revealed plans to buy 145 guns.
The M777 light howitzer gun is built at BAE Systems Global Combat Systems factory in Barrow, alongside the shipyard, with final fitting and testing completed at Hattiesburg in Mississippi.
The gun has previously only been sold to three countries; the US, Canada and Australia, but now after months of speculation, Indian news agencies have reported the countrys defence minister is ready to buy 145 guns.
The procurement was stalled after a report on the trials was released, but the program is back on track now, according to the defence ministry in India.
In a press statement, Indian defence minister AK Antony said user trials of the gun have been completed, with maintainability testing and an evaluation by the Director General of Quality Assurance still to come.
He told the Indian parliament on December 12 that India was looking to buy the guns through the US governments Foreign Military Sales program.
The FMS program means, in effect, the US will buy the guns from BAE, and then sell them on to India. An agreement is expected to be made between the US and India by the middle of 2012 and a formal contract between the US and BAE signed afterwards. An insider at Global Combats Systems in Barrow described the news as excellent and said an order of 145 guns would be expected to extend the life of the M777 programme by 18 months, safeguarding the programme and the 380 jobs at Barrow to the middle of 2015.
Reports suggest Indian army officials want the howitzers quickly to boost firepower in high-altitude battlegrounds after failed attempts to purchase the M777 in the past. India has not bought any artillery guns since the 1980s.
North West Evening Mail | News | Jobs boost for BAE if India buys guns
