(Times of India) : NAGPUR: The gun that blazed a trail of controversy may be finally made at home. It is likely that the Ordnance Factory Board would get an order from Indian Army for making the 155x45 mm Bofors-type howitzers. This is the same specification purchased by the Indian army amidst all the controversy in mid-1980s. At the same time, the army has floated global tenders for the higher version of 155 X 52 mm caliber guns.
Director general (DG) of OFB D M Gupta told TOI certain formalities pertaining to the order were yet to be finalised. He was in city to attend a conference of OF workers on quality management. The guns would be made using a transfer of technology (TOT) agreement already in place with the Swedish original equipment maker AB Bofors after the guns were purchased.
The order is expected to be placed in a couple of months. The OFB is hopeful because the order may be placed on nomination basis meaning there would be no other contender, added a senior official in this organisation. The TOT agreement that the OFB had entered into allows it to make the spares as well further strengthen its case. The OFB already has the set-up and the government has a policy of encouraging indigenous production if there is capacity, added the DG.
If the order is bagged, this would be for the first time that such guns would be entirely made in India. The production was expected to be undertaken at the Gun Carriage Factory at Jabalpur, which makes the 105mm Indian Field Guns, the only indigenously developed howitzers. Earlier, the factory had upgraded the existing 155x45 guns purchased from Sweden to 155x52 mm as well as the 130 mm guns to 155 mm, added a source. However, fresh order is expected only for making the 155x45 mm gun as global tenders have been floated for 155x52 mm guns.
Howitzers are identified by their barrel diameter. In case of 155x45 mm the first figure (155) refers to the diameter of the barrel while second (45) is indicates length of barrel is 45 times that of diameter. This fires a shell up to 30 kms while the 155X52 mm has the range of 40 kms.
The OFB would also be undertaking a programme of increasing production of Pinaka rockets that have a range of over 35 km, said Gupta. Without divulging the figures, he said the capacity would be more than doubled. "There were problems relating to its functioning in cold areas which have been sorted out and soon a programme of scaling up the production will be undertaken. Similar initiatives will be undertaken for augmenting production of shells for T-90 and Arjun tanks too. Other expansion programmes entailing Rs 2,000 crore are also awaiting approval of the government," he added.
Gupta said this financial year, the OFB would be clocking a 29% rise in turnover at Rs 11,208 crore as against Rs 8715 crore in previous fiscal.
Director general (DG) of OFB D M Gupta told TOI certain formalities pertaining to the order were yet to be finalised. He was in city to attend a conference of OF workers on quality management. The guns would be made using a transfer of technology (TOT) agreement already in place with the Swedish original equipment maker AB Bofors after the guns were purchased.
The order is expected to be placed in a couple of months. The OFB is hopeful because the order may be placed on nomination basis meaning there would be no other contender, added a senior official in this organisation. The TOT agreement that the OFB had entered into allows it to make the spares as well further strengthen its case. The OFB already has the set-up and the government has a policy of encouraging indigenous production if there is capacity, added the DG.
If the order is bagged, this would be for the first time that such guns would be entirely made in India. The production was expected to be undertaken at the Gun Carriage Factory at Jabalpur, which makes the 105mm Indian Field Guns, the only indigenously developed howitzers. Earlier, the factory had upgraded the existing 155x45 guns purchased from Sweden to 155x52 mm as well as the 130 mm guns to 155 mm, added a source. However, fresh order is expected only for making the 155x45 mm gun as global tenders have been floated for 155x52 mm guns.
Howitzers are identified by their barrel diameter. In case of 155x45 mm the first figure (155) refers to the diameter of the barrel while second (45) is indicates length of barrel is 45 times that of diameter. This fires a shell up to 30 kms while the 155X52 mm has the range of 40 kms.
The OFB would also be undertaking a programme of increasing production of Pinaka rockets that have a range of over 35 km, said Gupta. Without divulging the figures, he said the capacity would be more than doubled. "There were problems relating to its functioning in cold areas which have been sorted out and soon a programme of scaling up the production will be undertaken. Similar initiatives will be undertaken for augmenting production of shells for T-90 and Arjun tanks too. Other expansion programmes entailing Rs 2,000 crore are also awaiting approval of the government," he added.
Gupta said this financial year, the OFB would be clocking a 29% rise in turnover at Rs 11,208 crore as against Rs 8715 crore in previous fiscal.
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