India takes next step toward new 155mm towed howitzers

Editor’s note: Vivek Raghuvanshi, a journalist and freelancer to Defense News for more than three decades, was jailed in mid-May by India’s Central Bureau of Investigation on charges of espionage. The Indian government has released minimal information on his arrest. Sightline Media Group, which owns Defense News, has not seen any evidence to substantiate these charges and repudiates attacks on press freedom.

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand — The Indian Army has launched a tender for 155mm towed howitzers, with suppliers able to register to compete for a contract by March 8.

The move follows an acceptance of necessity, approved by the Defence Acquisition Council on Nov. 30, for the towed gun systems.

The Defence Ministry last year stated the weapon would “become a mainstay of artillery forces of the Indian Army.”

According to the tender document, the Army plans to buy 52-caliber, 155mm artillery weapons under the Buy Indian-IDDM acquisition category. That process requires the participation of an Indian vendor that indigenously designed, developed and manufactured its product with at least half of its content, in terms of cost, domestically sourced.

The towed gun systems are to be no heavier than 15 tons, and they must be able to fire existing 155mm rounds to a distance of 40-plus kilometers (25-plus miles). Its minimum service life must be 20 years, including a minimum barrel life of 1,500 equivalent full charges.

The Army’s quest to field several thousand new artillery systems under its 1999 Field Artillery Rationalisation Plan has taken a long time to gain momentum. But retired Lt. Gen. J.P Singh, a former deputy chief of the Army Staff for planning and systems, and an adviser for the government’s Defence Research and Development Organisation, told Defense News the modernization program is “picking up speed.”

Local media reports estimate the Army could buy approximately 1,200 towed gun systems, but that an initial order would likely involve 400 howitzers worth about 65 billion rupee (U.S. $783 million).

Potential competitors

Kalyani Strategic Systems Ltd., a subsidiary of private business Bharat Forge Ltd., could offer the 13-ton Bharat-52 as well as the 8-ton Mountain Artillery Gun-Extended Range weapon. The latter is considered an ultralight howitzer that can provide maneuverability in mountainous areas.

State-owned Advanced Weapons and Equipment India Ltd. could pitch its 14-ton Dhanush howitzer. The organization modified the 45-caliber system to meet 52-caliber specifications with a 42-kilometer range.

The Dhanush 39-caliber, 155mm towed howitzer has been modified into a 52-caliber gun. (Gordon Arthur/Staff)

It’s also possible industrial conglomerate Tata could strip down the 18-ton Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System to create a lighter variant for the competition. Incidentally, Tata and Kalyani are each competing for a contract award to provide the military with 307 ATAGS weapons.

Foreign collaboration is permitted under the Buy Indian-IDDM category, which could open the door for partners Adani Defence and Aerospace and Israeli firm Elbit Systems to offer the Autonomous Towed Howitzer Ordnance System, or ATHOS.

Singh said there had been “a positive response from numerous companies” in recent competitions for light towed guns and truck-mounted howitzers. As for India’s ability to produce artillery at home, he said industry gained experience “during the successful design and development of the state-of-the-art ATAGS.”

“The manufacturing skills are very much prevalent in the public and private sectors. Metallurgy requirements for indigenous manufacturing are available, [though] software requirements for subsystems are not available indigenously,” he added.

India is also looking for vehicles to tow the artillery system, with local manufacturer Ashok Leyland likely to supply them.

1 The Indian Army needs to modernize its fleet of existing Bofors FH-77B 155mm towed artillery pieces, such as the example pictured here. (Gordon Arthur)

2 This photo shows a Dhanush 155mm L/39 towed howitzer, which AWEIL has since developed into a 52-caliber gun as a contender for the TGS requirement. (Gordon Arthur)

Gordon Arthur is an Asia correspondent for Defense News. After a 20-year stint working in Hong Kong, he now resides in New Zealand. He has attended military exercises and defense exhibitions in about 20 countries around the Asia-Pacific region.

编者按：维韦克·拉古万什（Vivek Raghuvanshi）是一位为《防务新闻》（Defense News）撰稿三十余年的记者和自由撰稿人，于五月中旬被印度中央调查局以间谍罪名逮捕入狱。印度政府对其逮捕事件的披露信息甚少。《防务新闻》的母公司Sightline Media Group表示，他们尚未发现任何证据支持这些指控，并强烈谴责对新闻自由的攻击。

新西兰基督城——印度陆军已启动155毫米牵引式榴弹炮的招标，供应商可在3月8日前注册参与竞标。

此前，国防采办委员会于 11 月 30 日批准了对牵引式火炮系统的必要性认定。

印度国防部去年表示，该武器将“成为印度陆军炮兵部队的主力装备”。

根据招标文件，陆军计划通过“印度制造-IDDM”采购方式采购52倍径155毫米火炮。该采购流程要求供应商必须是印度本土企业，且其产品必须由印度自主设计、研发和制造，并且至少一半的成本来自印度国内。

牵引式火炮系统的重量不得超过15吨，且必须能够使用现有的155毫米炮弹，射程超过40公里（25英里）。其最低使用寿命必须为20年，其中包括炮管的最低寿命（相当于1500发满装药量）。

根据1999年制定的《野战炮兵合理化计划》，陆军部署数千套新型火炮系统的努力进展缓慢。但曾任陆军参谋部规划与系统副参谋长、现任国防研究与发展组织顾问的退役中将JP Singh告诉《防务新闻》，这项现代化计划正在“加速推进”。

当地媒体报道估计，陆军可能会购买大约 1200 套牵引式火炮系统，但首批订单可能涉及 400 门榴弹炮，价值约 650 亿卢比（7.83 亿美元）。

潜在竞争对手

私营企业巴拉特锻造有限公司（Bharat Forge Ltd.）的子公司卡利亚尼战略系统有限公司（Kalyani Strategic Systems Ltd.）可能会提供13吨重的巴拉特-52榴弹炮以及8吨重的增程型山地炮。后者被认为是一种超轻型榴弹炮，能够在山区灵活机动。

印度国有企业先进武器装备有限公司可能会推介其14吨重的“丹努什”榴弹炮。该公司对原有的45倍径榴弹炮进行了改进，使其达到52倍径的规格，射程达到42公里。

丹努什39倍径155毫米牵引式榴弹炮已被改装成52倍径火炮。（戈登·阿瑟/工作人员）

工业巨头塔塔集团也可能对18吨重的先进牵引式火炮系统进行改造，打造一款更轻便的型号以参与竞标。顺便一提，塔塔集团和卡利亚尼公司都在竞标为军方提供307门ATAGS火炮的合同。

在“购买印度产品-IDDM”类别下，允许外国合作，这可能会为合作伙伴阿达尼防务与航空航天公司和以色列埃尔比特系统公司提供自主牵引式榴弹炮武器系统（ATHOS）打开大门。

辛格表示，在近期轻型牵引火炮和车载榴弹炮的竞标中，“众多公司都做出了积极回应”。至于印度自主生产火炮的能力，他表示，在“成功设计和开发最先进的ATAGS火炮”的过程中，印度工业积累了丰富的经验。

他补充说：“制造技术在公共和私营部门都非常普及。本土制造所需的冶金技术也具备，但子系统所需的软件目前尚不具备本土化水平。”

印度也在寻找牵引火炮系统的车辆，当地制造商阿肖克·雷兰德公司可能会提供这些车辆。

1. 印度陆军需要对其现有的博福斯FH-77B型155毫米牵引式火炮进行现代化改造，例如图中所示的这种型号。（戈登·阿瑟）

2 这张照片展示的是一门丹努什155毫米L/39牵引式榴弹炮，AWEIL公司后来将其改进为52倍径火炮，作为TGS项目的竞标方案。（戈登·阿瑟）

戈登·阿瑟是《防务新闻》的亚洲特派记者。在香港工作20年后，他现居新西兰。他曾到访亚太地区约20个国家，参加过军事演习和防务展览。