The Indian Army’s indigenously designed and manufactured 155mm x 45mm calibre artillery gun, Dhanush, has successfully completed winter and summer trials at an undisclosed location.
Addressing the members of Parliament’s Consultative Committee, Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar confirmed that the gun successfully met all technical parameters during the trials.
While the trial location was kept undisclosed by the Indian Defence Ministry, The Times of India reported that the tests were carried out at ranges in Sikkim and Pokhran, Rajasthan.
Dhanush incorporates many improved features than the guns currently in service with the Indian Army. A derivative of the Bofors 155mm x 39mm calibre gun, Dhanush has been developed by the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) based on the design and manufacturing technology provided by Bofors, and can fire eight rounds per minutes up to 38km in the plains.
Equipped with a computerised fire control system, the indigenous howitzer is estimated to have an 25% performance increase compared to the original Bofor in terms of range, accuracy, consistency, low and high angle of fire and shoot-and-scoot ability.
An undisclosed source told the The Times of India: "The ore to steel for the gun barrel is made by the OFB. The only imported parts are the auxiliary power units, electronic dial sights and some others."
The first battery of guns would be ready in the next two months, and the OFB is streamlining its manufacturing line for bulk production at the Jabalpur Gun Carriage Factory from 2016 onwards.
The source said: "The first order for 114 guns worth INR1,260 crore, already indented by the army, would be completed in a three-year timeframe.
It has been reported that the production capacity of Dhanush will increase to 30 to 35 guns a year to provide the Indian Army with 414 units.
