World’s first artillery system featuring a 155mm 39 calibre gun on a 4x4 HMV
Indian multinational company Bharat Forge Ltd. launched its unique Multi-terrain Artillery Gun (MArG) in Pune on Tuesday. The indigenous gun system is also called 155 – BR.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh unveiled the artillery gun system in the presence of Indian Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane.
The made-in-India 155 - BR is the world’s only 155mm 39 calibre gun system that is mounted on a 4x4 high mobility vehicle (HMV). Conventional wisdom had it that nothing heavier than a 105mm gun could be mounted on a wheeled vehicle. Mounting a heavier gun on an HMV would render it unstable, it was believed.
The 155 – BR has the capability to operate across rugged mountainous terrain. It is equipped with shoot-and-scoot capability, providing advanced technical performance and high integration.
“We are committed to the government’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat and will continue to help India become a global defence hub by developing defence capabilities not just for our nation, but for the world,” stated Baba N. Kalyani, Chairman and Managing Director, Bharat Forge Ltd.
Thanking the Indian military for its “cooperation, guidance and inspiration”, Baba Kalyani vowed “to create best-in-class defence solutions made to face futuristic challenges.”
With decades of metallurgical know how, manufacturing prowess and innovation driven solution providing capability, Bharat Forge has aggressively scaled up its role in the strategic sectors of defence, aerospace and nuclear during the last two decades.
Under the government’s Make-in India policy, Bharat Forge has partnered with leading defence companies all over the world to address, design and cater to the requirements of the Indian defence sector.
Bharat Forge it a part of the Kalyani Group - a USD 3 billion conglomerate with a 10,000-strong work force. It has a transcontinental presence across ten manufacturing locations, in which it serves several sectors including automotive, power, oil and gas, construction, mining, rail, marine and aerospace.
About MArG 155 – BR
· World’s only 155mm 39 calibre gun system that is mounted on a 4x4 HMV
· Gradient negotiation: 30 degrees (called a “go anywhere gun”)
· Shoot and scoot capability
· Weight of fully kitted gun: 18 ton
· Capable of firing complete NATO standard and in service ammunition
· On board ammunition carrying capacity: 18 rounds with Zone 5
· Coming into action time: 1.5 minute in day and 2 minute in night
Elevation and Traverse-
Elevation: -2 to + 72
Traverse: 25 to Right & Left
Rate of Fire-
Burst Rate: 3 rounds in 30 sec
Intense Rate: 12 rounds in 3 min
Sustained Rate: 42 rounds in 60 min
About Bharat Forge Ltd:
# this howitzer weighs 18 metric tonnes, presumably it includes the weight of the chassis and the 18 shells on board in the panniers. the vickers [BAE] M777 weighs 4.2 tonnes, and like the MArg 155 the light weight owes to a fair use of titanium. we have contracted for 145 of these ultra-light howitzers [7 regiments]. M777 is made up of almost 70 percent components and parts out of north america's USA, including the barrel, and is hence subject to that country's 'foreign military sales' statutes which can be constrained by the virtuous mainstream that makes up their parliament. this will include the ammunition especially the GPS guided excalibur shells. MArg may not be adapted to deployment in much of western kashmir, eastern ladakh, and along the arunachal frontier given the absence of roads, bridges of the required classification that at present are barely able to handle troop carriers and single axle logistics vehicles. then again border roads does manage to keep their highways in a mostly fraught state even in the dry season. but MArg should look impressive on rajpath during the 26 january procession [the picture above is redolent of lego]
ReplyDelete155 mm, 39-cal. Multi-terrain Artillery Gun (MArG-T) titanium gun weighs a mere 4.8 tonnes. The range and weight of which is on par with the BAE Systems' M777 gun, imported from the US.
DeleteLooks very intriguing. I wonder where the Indian Army will test this new weapon platform. I think, even if the vehicle carrying the artillery gun can traverse through rough terrain, perhaps the gun will need the vehicle to be on level ground to operate successfully.
ReplyDeleteAT LEAST INDUCT THESE WEAPONS ON A WAR FOOTING. BOTH ADVERSERIES HAVE REGTS PLENTIFUL
ReplyDeleteIA IS BEHIND THE CURVE AT MANY LEVELS
AND THEN FINALLY USE HUMAN COURAGE AS CANNON FODDER