Sharang: 130mm M­-46 artillery gun upgraded to 155mm

Sharang: 130mm M­-46 artillery gun upgraded to 155mm

• The Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) handed over Sharang, the first 130mm M­46 artillery gun upgraded to 155mm to the Indian Army. It was formally handed over by OFB Chairman Hari Mohan to Army Chief Gen. Manoj Naravane at the ongoing Defexpo.
• Sharang is the 130mm artillery gun ‘up­gunned’ to 155mm, 45 caliber up­gunning based on the Army’s tender
• The Army had issued the Request For Proposal (RFP) in 2013 for both OFB and private industry.
• The contract, worth ₹200 crores, was signed in October 2018
• The gun’s range has now gone from 27km to over 36km with the upgrade. It also has the more explosive capability and hence and more damage potential, the official stated. In all, OFB will upgrade 300 130mm guns to 155mm and the contract will be completed in four years.
• This step will reduce the logistic trail of the Army as it does away with the need to carry 130mm shells and support equipment as the mainstay of the Army’s long-range artillery is 155mm guns. As part of the development and validation, OFB had ‘upgunned’ six guns for testing. An artillery regiment of the Army consists of 18 guns
• The Army inducted its first modern artillery guns system in November 2018. These include M­777 Ultra Light Howitzers (ULH) from the U.S. and K9 Vajra­T self-propelled artillery guns. The Army has the older, battle-proven Bofors 155mm guns in service. The 155mm Dhanush towed gun system, developed based on the Bofors guns, is under induction.

Source: The Hindu