Army To Buy 307 ATAGS Howitzers For Deployment Along China & Pak Border
In a major stride towards the ‘Make-in-India’ in the defence sector, the Ministry of Defence has received a proposal from Indian Army to buy 307 Advanced Towed Artillery Gun Systems (ATAGS) for deployment along the borders with China and Pakistan.
The proposal worth over USD 1 billion has been received from the Indian Army and is under discussion. It is expected to be cleared soon and sent for clearance by the Cabinet Committee on Security, defence officials told ANI.
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The trials of the 155mm/52 calibre Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS) were completed at the Pokhran Field Firing Range (PFFR) between April 26 and May 2. The ATAGS is an indigenous towed artillery gun system project undertaken in mission mode by the DRDO as a part of the artillery modernisation programme of the Indian Army, the statement added.
Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) Pune is the nodal laboratory of the DRDO for the design & development of ATAGS, along with other DRDO laboratories.
The development has been done with two industry partners, Tata Advanced Systems Ltd and Bharat Forge Ltd, along with the active participation of other industries.
The reliability of both guns has been proven by firing multiple rounds in various zones, including burst, intense & sustained modes. High accuracy and consistency in range and line with maximum range have been established, the DRDO had said recently.