Artillery Corps: News & Discussion

[Rakesh]

https://x.com/VinodDX9/status/2006213741600223662?s=20 ---> In case you didn't notice, the guided Pinaka has a much sharpened front section.

[uddu]

How India's Ramjet artillery shells will redefine military firepower | THE WEEK x Defence
In a development that strongly underlines the ongoing ‘Atmanirbharta’ or self-reliance effort, the Indian Army is well-poised to be the world’s first army that will use ramjet power to fire its 155mm artillery shells resulting in a range increase by 30-50 per cent while retaining the lethality. Senior Assistant Editor Sanjib Kr Baruah takes a deeper look.

(India's Ramjet artillery shells, Indian Army, Atmanirbharta, India)

[pravula]

https://x.com/VinodDX9/status/2006213741600223662?s=20 ---> In case you didn't notice, the guided Pinaka has a much sharpened front section.

It also has control surfaces in front section.

[ashthor]

Read somewhere pinaka capacity is 5000/month or 60,000/year. Is it enough?

[Manish_P]

Read somewhere pinaka capacity is 5000/month or 60,000/year. Is it enough?

From open sources, Russia has been reported to have launched about a thousand missiles a month at Ukraine, near the peak of conflict.
The number of artillery rounds is much much more in magnitude (estimated to be approx 20,000 a day!)

Artillery rockets would fall somewhere in between i think

What is very, very important is our continued manufacturing & storage (resilience against attack) and transportation (to the area of operations)

[drnayar]

Read somewhere pinaka capacity is 5000/month or 60,000/year. Is it enough?

From open sources, Russia has been reported to have launched about a thousand missiles a month at Ukraine, near the peak of conflict.
The number of artillery rounds is much much more in magnitude (estimated to be approx 20,000 a day!)

Artillery rockets would fall somewhere in between i think

What is very, very important is our continued manufacturing & storage (resilience against attack) and transportation (to the area of operations)

Absolutely ., the worlds live lab for testing weapons ., Ukraine shows the importance of surge capability for production at scales !!.. this means production capability needs to exceed by several factors for countries like India which are "exposed"

Also means the need to export to keep those lines and ecosystem viable !

China knows this and tries to throttle Indian defence exports by any way it can [ and also America ] .,

information and narratives regarding indian defence products needs to be protected and monitored., OT though

[SRajesh]

What can private industry play during times of emergency and dire need??
Can our manufacturing base be turned to MIC during a prolonged conflict??
Given that DRDO/ARDE etc are now teaming up with local Private players can they during tims of need turn into a full time MIC??
Like what the major industries in US did during WWII
Because I am sure when we have extreme need the West will turn off the tap especially if their Munnas are getting arse-whipped.

[Manish_P]

What can private industry play during times of emergency and dire need??
Can our manufacturing base be turned to MIC during a prolonged conflict??...

Weapons & ammunition production is a specialized engineering field which requires specialized machines and trained personnel. It is not easy to divert material and personnel quickly at the scale required. Certainly not so easily after the actual shooting begins.

...
Given that DRDO/ARDE etc are now teaming up with local Private players can they during tims of need turn into a full time MIC??
Like what the major industries in US did during WWII
...

The private industry probably can reasonably reconfigure themselves to manufacture small, personnel level stuff like bullets, clothes, shoes, lights etc which has not changed radically since WW2. Stuff like modern 155 mm shells, rocket artillery, electronics etc are a different game entirely either due to the precision or the technology or both.

The likes of Tata, Mahindra are trying to get their automotive products into the military for a long time. They will probably invest more budget, time and personnel towards military or even dual-use products if they get regular orders from within the country of from exports.

...
Because I am sure when we have extreme need the West will turn off the tap especially if their Munnas are getting arse-whipped.

We have already experienced this in previous wars.

[Rakesh]

Indian Army to be world’s first to use ramjet-powered 155 mm artillery shells
https://www.theweek.in/news/defence/202 ... hells.html
31 Dec 2025

This 'Atmanirbharta' initiative, in collaboration with IIT Madras, will increase the range of existing shells by 30-50 per cent without compromising lethality

[Manish_P]

The article states that the system is still under development.

Have orders been placed?

[Rakesh]

No idea Saar.

[Rakesh]

https://x.com/manishindiatv/status/2006 ... 68434?s=20 ---> M777. Shanti ke sath Dhamake ki Guarantee.

[Manish_P]

No idea Saar.

Ok. The title of the article makes it sound like the shells are already under line manufacturing and on their way to field deployment

[SBajwa]

[sanjayc]

What can private industry play during times of emergency and dire need??
Can our manufacturing base be turned to MIC during a prolonged conflict??
Given that DRDO/ARDE etc are now teaming up with local Private players can they during tims of need turn into a full time MIC??
Like what the major industries in US did during WWII
Because I am sure when we have extreme need the West will turn off the tap especially if their Munnas are getting arse-whipped.

To exponentially boost capacity in war time on demand, private sector needs steady stream of orders and funds in peace time to build their systems and strength. Drip feeding them petty orders in peace time and then expecting them to raise capacity 100x in war time at short notice won't work.

[Tanaji]

Apologies for a noob question: but how many orders have actually been placed for ATAGs? Not just AoN, actual orders. And is it with the original electric drive or without it?

Added later:

From a post on small armaments thread:

The Defence Ministry has awarded a ₹2,770 crore contract to Bharat Forge and PLR Systems for supplying 4.25 lakh close-quarter battle (CQB) carbines, marking Bharat Forge’s second major defence order after ATAGS. The company had earlier received an order for 184 ATAGS guns under the 307-gun contract signed with Tata Advanced Systems.

[Rakesh]

https://x.com/nazistaditya001/status/20 ... 65029?s=20 ---> BREAKING "From 38km to 78km: How India Just Doubled its Artillery Reach."

IIT Madras and Munitions India Limited just dropped a game-changer. The Indian Army is set to become the FIRST in the world to deploy Ramjet-Powered 155mm Artillery Shells.

Technology: Standard shells rely on the gun's initial boom. These new shells have an Air-Breathing Ramjet Engine inside.

--> Fired at Mach 2.0+ (twice the speed of sound).
​--> Once airborne, the engine kicks in, sucking in air to burn fuel and maintain supersonic speeds for double the distance.

​Distance:
--> Standard 155mm Range: ~30 km
--> Ramjet 155mm Range: 60 km to 78 km
--> That is a missile-level range at artillery-level cost.

This is the biggest win. You get the range of a short-range ballistic missile for a fraction of the price. You can barrage an area with these shells for the cost of a single cruise missile.

[Rakesh]

Indian Army to be world’s first to use ramjet-powered 155 mm artillery shells
https://www.theweek.in/news/defence/202 ... hells.html
31 Dec 2025

https://x.com/c_aashish/status/2007814989831164015?s=20 ---> Army to be world’s 1st to use 155mm ramjet artillery shells. Tech Developed With IIT-Madras Now Under Trial.

[Rakesh]

Bigger Punch For Indian Artillery With Ramjet Powered Shells

The Indian Army, in partnership with IIT Madras, is pioneering ramjet-powered 155mm artillery shells, becoming the first armed force globally to operationally deploy such technology. These shells extend range by 30 to 50% while retaining destructive power, bridging the gap between conventional munitions and missiles. Successful trials at Pokharan show retrofitting feasibility across existing inventories, offering cost-effective deep-strike capability. This innovation enhances mobility, reduces reliance on expensive missile systems, and underscores India’s Atmanirbharta drive toward indigenous defence technologies and academic-military collaboration.

[Rakesh]

Partnership Between L&T and Indian Army for Sustenance & Upgradation of In-Service Pinaka Rocket Launcher Systems
https://www.larsentoubro.com/pressrelea ... er-systems
08 Jan 2026

[Rakesh]

https://x.com/thugner101/status/2009336 ... 87183?s=20 ---> It appears that the ATAGS has been named as "Amogh" (अमोघ - "Infallible"), as is seen in the latest Jan 15 Army Day parade rehearsals. 307 units were ordered last year in a 60:40 split between BFL and TPSED along with 327 units of Ashok Leyland FAT 6x6 tow trucks.

[Rakesh]

https://x.com/prasannavishy/status/2009 ... 01887?s=20 ---> The Army is modernising Pinaka, its mainstay rocket system, with Larsen & Toubro and Tata Group winning overhaul and lifecycle-support contracts. Range to exceed 150 km, near-80% indigenous content, and private industry now embedded in frontline sustainment.

[uddu]

To the Gurus in here. How cost effective is the ramjet shell compared to the Pinaka rocket? This could make the shorter range Pinaka redundant and cheaper than the Pinaka rocket. Pinaka may have to be upgraded and moved into the 120 km+ segment.

https://x.com/Rethik_D/status/2010715711069692165
@Rethik_D
#DetailedDive
From the Visual perspective:

1.IITM/IA Developed ramjet Artillery looks more like a plug-in module which can convert existing Artillery shells to Ramjet propelled Artillery.

2.DRDO/ARDE developed Ramjet Artillery has a dedicated Biconic Intake ,a true ramjet Artillery,with fin Stabilization and Guidance system. This will cost more compared to (1).

So we basically found solution for both the cases. Long range mass firing as well long range precision attack through Artillery!

[uddu]

https://x.com/i/status/2010993250564522403
@mohak_ailani
Official post is deleted now, but I took a screenshot.

This is big..

[Prem Kumar]

New official post has come out. I think the previous one missed some names of contributors which Lt Gen P R Shankar pointed out

He said there is still a lot of work to be done. Trials will be extensive before the new shells are inducted

[uddu]

New official post has come out. I think the previous one missed some names of contributors which Lt Gen P R Shankar pointed out

He said there is still a lot of work to be done. Trials will be extensive before the new shells are inducted

5 years goes like that. Hope some emergency procurement atleast is made with the current tech.

[Rakesh]

IIT Madras develops ramjet-assisted artillery shells, boosts gun range by 50 per cent
https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/india ... -per-cent/
12 Jan 2026

This innovation aligns with the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, demonstrating how upgrading existing systems can deliver cost-effective, survivable, and future-ready firepower for modern battlefields

[Rakesh]

https://x.com/NewsIADN/status/2010701492446007802?s=20 ---> IIT-Madras' 155mm Ramjet Shell has showed substantial range improvement during trials:

• ATAGS: 40 km → ~70 km
• Vajra: 36 km → ~62 km
• Dhanush: 30 km → ~55 km

[Rakesh]

https://x.com/DefenceDecode/status/2010 ... 78213?s=20 ---> IIT Madras has developed ramjet-assisted 155 mm artillery shells that boost range by ~50% without loss of lethality. By replacing the base-bleed unit with an embedded ramjet, the shell gains sustained post-launch propulsion - extending reach without new guns or missile systems.

Range Gains:

ATAGS/AMOGH: 40 km to ~70 km
K-9 Vajra: 36 km to ~62 km
Dhanush: 30 km to ~55 km

A potential game-changer for long-range tube artillery.

[Rakesh]

https://x.com/i/status/2010993250564522403
@mohak_ailani
Official post is deleted now, but I took a screenshot.

This is big..

And they republished it, with more detail...

https://x.com/iitmadras/status/2011094716558033210?s=20 ---> IIT Madras has recorded a significant defence-technology breakthrough with the development of ramjet-assisted artillery shells capable of extending the range of existing gun systems by nearly 50%, without any loss in lethality. The innovation embeds a ramjet engine within a standard 155 mm artillery shell, replacing the conventional base-bleed unit. This enables sustained propulsion after the shell exits the gun barrel, resulting in longer range, deeper strike capability and enhanced operational flexibility — all without the need for new artillery platforms or costly missile systems.

Trials across multiple platforms show substantial range improvements:

• ATAGS: 40 km → ~70 km

• Vajra: 36 km → ~62 km

• Dhanush: 30 km → ~55 km

The project led by Prof. P. A. Ramakrishna, IIT Madras, along with Lt Gen P R Shankar (retd), Prof. H. S. N. Murthy, Prof. G. Rajesh, Prof. M. Ramakrishna, Prof. Murugaiyan, Lt Gen Hari Mohan Iyer (retd), Prof. Lazar C, Dr Yogesh Kumar Velari, Maj. Gen. Rajiv Narayanan & Prof. V R Lalithambika was launched in 2020 in collaboration with the Indian Army, the project has undergone extensive gun and field trials at Deolali and Pokhran, successfully validating clean gun exit, stable flight and reliable ramjet ignition. This work highlights the impact of Atmanirbhar Bharat and demonstrates how upgrading existing systems can deliver cost-effective, survivable and future-ready firepower for modern battlefields.