Artillery Corps: News & Discussion

[Manish_P]

...

Drone warfare is new. Current generation are typically good for few kilometers. Cheap and precise but still require manual operators.

Let’s see how it evolves (autonomous and range) in the coming decades.

As will anti-drone systems...

No one weapon system is perfect or even sufficient.

[srai]

Yes no one is arguing about perfection

[Manish_P]

Yes no one is arguing about perfection

But some ask for it, some demand it.... and some say the enemy already have it while us SDREs make do with obsolete or jugaad stuff

[Rakesh]

CCS approves Rs 10,000 crore procurement of indigenous Pinaka rocket systems
https://bharatshakti.in/ccs-approves-rs ... t-systems/
29 January 2025

[srai]

Agnibaan Multi Barrel Rocket Launcher



https://www.gettyimages.com.au/detail/n ... 2195550713

[Manish_P]

^ Do these mean machines have a nickname?

'Pencil Box'

[suryag]

BTW, when did this agnibaan happen ? this is the first time am seeing it

[durairaaj]

Another name for grad BM21. May be upgraded version has name indigenized

[srai]

https://x.com/AdithyaKM_/status/1724991 ... 27/photo/1

[Aditya_V]

Just a small query- any updates on Dhanush deliveries to the Army.

[Rakesh]

https://x.com/SpokespersonMoD/status/18 ... 5025916060 ---> The Ministry of Defence has signed Rs 10,147 Cr deal with Economic Explosives Ltd, Munitions India Ltd & Bharat Electronics Ltd, in the presence of Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh, for advanced PINAKA MLRS rockets & SHAKTI software upgrades. The ADM Type-1 (DPICM) rockets will enhance area denial capabilities, while HEPF Mk-1(E) rockets bring extended range & precision for deep strikes. This marks a significant step in modernizing artillery, strengthening India's firepower, and boosting indigenous defence production, MSME growth, & employment.

[Rakesh]

₹10,147 Cr Pinaka Rocket Contracts Inked With EEL, MIL, BEL
https://bharatshakti.in/%E2%82%B910147- ... l-mil-bel/
06 Feb 2025

https://x.com/livefist/status/1887467602361844104 ---> Indian MoD inks biggest ever homegrown rocket ammunition contract worth ₹10,147 crore with EEL, MIL & BEL for rockets of PINAKA Multiple Launch Rocket System.

[Rakesh]

https://x.com/AdithyaKM_/status/1887700964641018043 ---> Engine & barrel replacement in field conditions at Rann of Kutch by Bald Eagle Brigade.

[Rakesh]

VIDEO: https://x.com/alpha_defense/status/1889618258526921086 ---> Next Gen Pinaka will have double the range and work is “On”. Pinaka is a success story and this why when Solar was linked with Kusha - I was excited

[Rakesh]

Hope to sign ATAGS contract this fiscal, says Kalyani Group as they launch new artillery gun

As Bharat Forge launches new artillery gun, Deputy Editor Snehesh Alex Philip speaks to Neelesh Tungar, Whole Time Director and CEO of Kalyani Strategic Systems Limited, part of the Kalyani Group.

[A Sharma]

MArG 45 mobile gun unveiled—A 'go-anywhere' beast with unmatched firepower

[Rakesh]

X-Post from the Indian Military/Defence Exports thread...

Bharat Forge unit bags contract to supply first-ever India-made artillery cannons to the US
https://www.cnbctv18.com/market/bharat- ... 561592.htm
19 Feb 2025

https://x.com/indiaemerges/status/1892277502891942135 ---> So India will make weapons for everyone except India?

[Ashokk]

Aero India 2025: DRDO progresses development of new ‘compact' electromagnetic railgun

India's state-owned Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) showcased a model of its new compact and transportable electromagnetic railgun (EMRG) at the Aero India 2025 show held in Bangalore.

DRDO said the EMRG, which is being developed by the DRDO's Armament Research & Development Establishment (ARDE) laboratory, is a trailer transportable version and is ready for field trials. DRDO officials said the trials represent a major step towards enabling the EMRG to become fully functional.

The compact EMRG set-up comprises a modular capacitor bank, a lithium chemistry cell-based battery bank, a railgun, and a diesel generator as a power source.

The DRDO officials said the system's size has been partly enabled by its capacitor bank, which was developed through an ARDE science and technology project, and its 15 kW portable diesel generator that can fully charge the battery bank in 30 minutes. The generator replaces the grid power used in larger EMRG systems.

The energy contained in the battery bank is used to charge the capacitor bank to 10 MJ, which in turn is delivered to the railgun.

[Ashokk]

Aero India 2025: DRDO develops new Pinaka rocket variant

India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is developing a new high-calibre Pinaka rocket with a range of 120 km, a DRDO official told Janes at Aero India 2025 in Bangalore.

The official did not disclose the exact calibre of the new rocket variant but indicated that it could be similar to that of Russian Smerch rockets. The Smerch rockets have a calibre of 300 mm and have been in service with the Indian Army since 2007.

According to the DRDO official, development of the new Pinaka rocket variant started in 2024. He added that the new rocket is already in an advanced stage of development and that its first test is expected to be conducted in October 2025.

This new longer-range rocket variant will be launched from the Pinaka Multi Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL), the official said. A new pod to launch the new rocket variant will be fitted to the Pinaka MBRL, he added.

The existing Pinaka family consists of 214 mm fin-stabilised, solid-propellant, guided and unguided rockets and are launched from 214 mm Pinaka MBRL.

[Rakesh]

https://x.com/alpha_defense/status/1892497424305762783 ---> Indian Army’s FH-77B Bofors guns, heroes of the Kargil War, are getting a major upgrade!

• Next-gen drives & positioning system from Dhanush
• Electric drive APU for better mobility & efficiency
• Faster deployment, improved accuracy & lower maintenance

Boost to #AtmanirbharBharat and India’s artillery power!

[Rakesh]

https://x.com/UstadMaverick/status/1893526430295699843 ---> kssldefence's massive new manufacturing hub in Jejuri, Pune, is set to roll out 250+ artillery guns and 1,000+ vehicles annually, with the capacity to scale as needed.

https://x.com/wartrophy_414/status/1893541760975901171 ---> If this plant is run at full capacity alongside the existing KSSL plants, then in less than <15 years, we can have a fully IDDM (Indigenously Designed Developed and Manufactured) and modernized artillery corps. But then again, we are bad at giving orders in large scale and on time. ATAGS order is yet to signed.

[Rakesh]

VIDEO: https://x.com/NewsIADN/status/1892944829358985288 ---> Kalyani (KSSL) has exported 100 Artillery Guns in 2024 alone.

[Ramesh]

https://x.com/alpha_defense/status/1892497424305762783 ---> Indian Army’s FH-77B Bofors guns, heroes of the Kargil War, are getting a major upgrade!

• Next-gen drives & positioning system from Dhanush
• Electric drive APU for better mobility & efficiency
• Faster deployment, improved accuracy & lower maintenance

Boost to #AtmanirbharBharat and India’s artillery power!

Excellent news, if they manage to execute. The building blocks, except the electrical drives, were available for over a decade plus. Someone has overhauled the complete acquisition procedure.

[ramana]

Hope they get a guided fuze for that LSV mortar and it becomes very effective weapon system. The in-vehicle guidance system allows accurate initial setup and that alone contributes a lot to the accuracy of the mortar round on target.

[ramana]

Wonder if for the long range shells, a telemetry shell can be developed that provides hit results for the battery? Am thinking of a shell that has 3 axis accelerometers and rotation sensors that transmits the shell data to the battery and they firing computer calculates the corrections to be applied.

[Ramesh]

Wonder if for the long range shells, a telemetry shell can be developed that provides hit results for the battery? Am thinking of a shell that has 3 axis accelerometers and rotation sensors that transmits the shell data to the battery and they firing computer calculates the corrections to be applied.

Weapon locating radars can perform this task, with reasonable efficiency. The challenge is price of these radars and availability, which is very less, compared to what is ideally needed.

[pravula]

Wont a uav suffice for this ? It can even be wire guided

[ramana]

UAV may be. WLR is active and gives away location—nothing like actual telemetry to register the hit.

[Brad Goodman]

Check this podcast out with Baba Kalyani, Armed forces and MoD made is almost impossible to any one venturing into defence. Only Parrikar ji made difference, unfortunately he passed away too soon for India. Such a loss.

Forging Weapons for India and The World | The GAP

In this podcast, Major Gaurav Arya (retd) talks with Babasaaheb Kalyani and Amit Kalyani - from Bharat Forge - about the future of Indian weapons manufacturing and Bharat Forge's plan for the future. They also discussed the life story of Baba Kalyani and the formation of the first Bharat Forge gun.

[pravula]

UAV may be. WLR is active and gives away location—nothing like actual telemetry to register the hit.

Yeah, a wire guided UAV attached to the mortar platform can use pure optical only capability and have zero EM emissions. Heck, if the size is small enough, can even be powered by the launch platform allowing unlimited up time. Or a small ballon with some control systems will even cut out those blade acoustics.

[Ramesh]

UAV may be. WLR is active and gives away location—nothing like actual telemetry to register the hit.

The procedure is called Direction of Own Artillery Fire (DOOAF).
There are two scenarios possible:
1. There is a direct line of sight to the target ie target is visible to an observer or a ground based instrument. The options are use of Thermal imaging camera, laser range finder combination along with instruments for accurate measurement of angle. This gives the position of the fall of shell.
2. In case there is no direct line of sight to the target, use either an ariel platform like UAV, Ballon for carrying out the adjustment or use a weapon locating radar.

The use of telemetry shells is an interesting possibility however the challenge is not in finding out the location of the fall of shot before it hits the ground, but in transmitting the information. The constraints being the size of transmitting antenna and suitable frequency selection, especially in the mountains, which preclude use of UHF or VHF frequency. Use of satellite transmission will require massive space based setup which is not feasible in the near future.

Hope this helps.

[ernest]

Wonder if for the long range shells, a telemetry shell can be developed that provides hit results for the battery? Am thinking of a shell that has 3 axis accelerometers and rotation sensors that transmits the shell data to the battery and they firing computer calculates the corrections to be applied.

Wonder where you got this idea from. I used to think about this after playing Factorio. The artillery shells have a radar that updates the map, while the shell flies.

I have felt that a Pinaka equipped with some kind of seeker can help in fine tuning the accuracy of the whole salvo. Include one seeker based/guided rocket in the whole salvo, which flies first, and sends back navigation updates to reduce error from free flight. Then also send back an image/live map of target areas before impact that can provide target prioritization info for other rockets in the queue. The seeker equipped will be costlier compared with the rest of unguided/INS guided rockets in the salvo. Even better if GPS guided rockets can update target location mid flight.

e.g. when targeting a helipad, the first rocket with seeker sends an update that target helicopters have already dispersed / moved to a shelter. The other rockets can be held back, or reallocated to the shelter/other immobile targets.

BTW, loitering munitions can help with the above, and might be simpler than developing new rocket variants, and associated tactics. So above is just a khayali pulao from me.

[Rakesh]

https://x.com/Defencematrix1/status/1895364485650727290 ---> According to Janes: The first trial will be by October 2025 and this new longer-range rocket variant will be launched from the Pinaka Multi Barrel Rocket Launcher. A new pod to launch the new rocket variant will be fitted to the Pinaka.

https://x.com/AdithyaKM_/status/1895397894099980761 --> So regarding the length of this new Pinaka rocket (assuming it is indeed the 300mm diameter LRGR):

* Guided Pinaka D = 214mm, L = 5175mm
* Pinaka Mk1 Enhanced D = 214mm, L = 4725mm
* My crude L/D comparison suggests that 300mm LRGR is approximately 4.7 - 4.8m long, let's wait for specs.

[Rakesh]

https://x.com/singhshwetabh71/status/18 ... 9851735476 ---> Pretty cool picture of the MGS (Mounted Gun System), shows a storage of 27 shells (similar to PCL 181).

[Rakesh]

https://x.com/prudhvitej32/status/1896237043807826410 ---> DRDO's Mountain Gun System (MGS). 24 rounds and 150 BMCS (Bi-Modular Charge System). Transportable by rail abd C-17. Six crew in protected cabin. Elevation from 0° To 72°. Highly useful for direct fire and mountain regions.

[ramana]

That's using my brain!!!

[ramana]

Wonder if for the long range shells, a telemetry shell can be developed that provides hit results for the battery? Am thinking of a shell that has 3 axis accelerometers and rotation sensors that transmits the shell data to the battery and they firing computer calculates the corrections to be applied.

Wonder where you got this idea from. I used to think about this after playing Factorio. The artillery shells have a radar that updates the map, while the shell flies.

I have felt that a Pinaka equipped with some kind of seeker can help in fine tuning the accuracy of the whole salvo. Include one seeker based/guided rocket in the whole salvo, which flies first, and sends back navigation updates to reduce error from free flight. Then also send back an image/live map of target areas before impact that can provide target prioritization info for other rockets in the queue. The seeker equipped will be costlier compared with the rest of unguided/INS guided rockets in the salvo. Even better if GPS guided rockets can update target location mid flight.

e.g. when targeting a helipad, the first rocket with seeker sends an update that target helicopters have already dispersed / moved to a shelter. The other rockets can be held back, or reallocated to the shelter/other immobile targets.

BTW, loitering munitions can help with the above, and might be simpler than developing new rocket variants, and associated tactics. So above is just a khayali pulao from me.

Usually artillery fires a few rounds called ranging rounds to register the hit accuracy and then fire a barrage. I felt a telemetry shell will give first round accuracy for dumb shells. Especially when the gun has to move to avoid counter battery fire.

[Rakesh]

https://x.com/Varun55484761/status/1896867474802635167 ---> VEM technogies Vidhwams long range Rocket. Range - 250 Km. Details in the poster.

[bala]

This YT claims:

Indian Army deploys Vehicle Mounted Infantry Mortar System (VMIMS) in Sikkim
March 14, 2025

This Atmanirbhar system enhances mobility, rapid response & firepower, reinforcing India’s self-reliance & defense preparedness.

youtube.com/watch?v=pdIatUZm_NY

[Rakesh]

https://x.com/Firezstarter1/status/1901298578817241302 ---> Bharat Forge should sell their gun to Israel & re-market it to India.

https://x.com/battle_machines/status/19 ... 4084088925 ---> SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) for selling Indian products locally:

* Step 1: Create wholly owned subsidiary outside India with non Indian name

* Step 2: Sell IP to subsidiary, rename product using non-Indian mythology

* Step 3: Form JV with parent company, rename to something Indian

* Step 4: Sign contracts

#Satire