New Delhi: The Indian Army is set to get the first lot of 145 ultra-light howitzers it is purchasing from the US for $700m this year
According to a report in the current issue of India Strategic defence magazine, a team from the army, including from the Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers, Directorate General of Qualitative Assurance and the defence ministry visited the US in January to establish the parameters of the BAE Systems M-777 gun being in conformity with the requirements.
This testing was part of the procedure, described as Maintainability Evaluation (ME), and now the final step is about discussions to finalise the price along with spares and maintenance support.
The US Defence Security Cooperation Agency had issued a notification indicating the possible sale of the gun to India on January 22, 2010. The US Army sent two guns to India for trials, and the Indian Army tested the 152 mm /39 caliber system in the hot and mountainous terrains (Pokhran and Sikkim) the same year, pointing out some shortcomings, which have been rectified.
Although the M-777 gun is made by the multi-national BAE Systems in the US, it is being purchased from the US Army under the Foreign Military Sales programme. The M-777 is the first artillery gun to be partially made of titanium to reduce its weight and give it mobility, and is easily carried under-slung by heavy lift helicopters like the Chinook CH 47, 15 of which the Indian Air Force is buying from Boeing.
Senior officers of the Army are confident that the acquisition of M-777 will not go beyond 2013, and if there is a delay, it would not be beyond fiscal April 2013-March 2014. IANS
