Between April 26 and May 2, trials of the made-in-India Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS) were successfully conducted at the Pokhran Field Firing Range (PFFR), according to officials from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
ATAGS is a mission-mode project by DRDO to develop a fully indigenous towed artillery gun system as part of the Indian Army’s artillery modernisation programme.
The DRDO developed the Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS), which is manufactured by Bharat Forge and Tata Advanced Systems Limited. It’s a prime example of public-private collaboration that resulted in a world-class armament system designed and developed entirely in India. For India, such a weapon system is extremely important.
The cannon is planned to represent the backbone of the Indian Army’s tower howitzer fleet, possibly replacing the Bofors howitzers.
About 155 mm x 52 Cal Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS)
ATGAS is a large calibre Gun system with the capability to program and fire future Long Range Guided Munitions (LRGM) to achieve precision and deep strike. The system is configured with an all- electric drive that will ensure maintenance free and reliable operation over longer periods of time. The system is currently in the advanced stage of development.
Specifications of Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System
| Type | Towed Howitzer |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | India |
| Service history | |
| Used by | Indian Army |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Armament Research and Development Establishment |
| Designed | 2013-2017 |
| Manufacturer | Bharat Forge Limited
Ordnance Factory Board |
| Produced | 2019 |
| No. built | 10 (prototypes) |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 18 tonnes (18 long tons; 20 short tons) |
| Barrel length | 8060 mm |
| Crew | 6-8 |
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| Caliber | 155 mm x 52 Cal |
| Breech | Screw type |
| Recoil | Electro-rheological/Magneto-rheological |
| Elevation | -3 to +75 degree |
| Traverse | +/-25 |
| Rate of fire | Burst: 5 rounds in 60 sec Intense: 10 rounds in 2 1/2 min Sustained: 60 rounds in 60 min |
| Effective firing range | 48.074 km |
| Maximum firing range | 52.074 km (Using HE-BB or High Explosive Base Bleed ammunitions) |
| Sights | Thermal sight. Gunners display |
TRIALS
- DRDO conducted the proof firing of armament for the 155/52 calibre Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System on 14 July 2016. The test was successful.
- Fully integrated, 155-millimeter artillery gun fired its first rounds of live ammunition at the Proof and
- Experimental Establishment (PXE) in Balasore, Odisha on 14 December 2016.
- During trials in 2017, ATAGS broke the then world record for 155 mm gun by firing the round to a distance of 47.2 kilometres.
- It again registered a maximum distance of 48.074 kilometres with high explosive–base bleed (HE–BB) ammunition, surpassing the maximum ranges fired by any artillery gun system in this category. This has since been surpassed by M777 and M1299 under US ERCA program
- The gun successfully completed trials and the manufacturing of first lot of 40 guns is to start soon.
- The gun underwent user trials in September 2020 and suffered a major setback with a barrel burst injuring four personnel. Investigations are on to ascertain and solve the problem[21][22][23] and in November 2020, after an investigation, the gun was cleared for further trials
- In June 2021, ATAGS successfully completed trials at 15,000 feet (4,600 m) altitude.
