Dhanush
The Dhanush in public display.
TypeHowitzer
Place of originIndia
Service history
In service2019
Used byIndian Army
Production history
DesignerOrdnance Factory Board
Designed2010
ManufacturerAdvanced Weapons and Equipment India Limited (previously Ordnance Factory Board)
Unit costUS$ 2.11 million (₹ 14 crore)[1]
Produced2015 onwards
No. built18[2]
Specifications
Mass13000 kg
Length
  • 45 Caliber
  • 52 Caliber[3]
(Upgraded)
Crew6-8
Caliber155 mm (Compatible with all NATO 155mm ammunition system)
ActionAuto gun alignment and positioning
BreechScrew type
RecoilElectro-rheological/Magneto-rheological
ElevationServo based, -3°/+70°
TraverseServo based, 30° left or right from centreline[4]
Rate of fire
  • Burst: 3 rounds in 15 sec
  • Intense: 15 rounds in 3 min
  • Sustained: 60 rounds in 60 min
Maximum firing range
  • 38 km [5][6]
  • 42 km (upgraded version)
  • 60 km+ (using Ramjet Propelled Artillery Shell, under development)[7]
Feed systemElectrically operated ammunition handling
SightsThermal sight Gunners display
Maximum speed With towing vehicle 40kmph, Self propelled 12kmph with 95kw APU

Dhanush (bow) is a 155 mm towed howitzer manufactured by Advanced Weapons and Equipment India Limited, previously a part of Ordnance Factory Board. The gun was approved for service in 2019 and has been inducted into the Indian Army.[8] The Dhanush project was started by OFB to replace the older 105 mm Indian Field Gun, 105 mm Light Field Gun and the Russian 122 mm guns with a modern 155 mm artillery gun. The Dhanush gun is manufactured by the OFB at its Gun Carriage Factory Jabalpur.

Development

The initial indigenous development of artillery guns in India started in the 1970s with the Artillery Gun Development Team under Brigadier Gurdyal Singh at Gun Carriage Factory, Jabalpur.[9] This resulted in the introduction of 105 mm Indian Field Gun and its variant, the Light Field Gun into the Indian Army.

The purchase of Haubits FH77 guns manufactured by Bofors in the 1980s included technology transfer to OFB. After many years being unable to acquire or import foreign artillery guns due to the corruption charges, OFB developed the Dhanush gun based on the technical data package that was included in the purchase of the FH77. Improvements and modernisation of the original construction included lengthening the gun barrel from 39 calibres to 45, inertial navigation-based sighting system, auto-laying facility, onboard ballistic computation and an advanced day and night direct firing system.[10]

In trials performed in Sikkim at an altitude of 3500 metres at sub-zero temperatures the Dhanush gun performed better than the Bofors gun by 20 to 25 percent in parameters like range, accuracy, consistency, low and high angle of fire, and shoot-and-scoot ability.[10]

Three Dhanush guns were handed over to the Indian Army for user trials in July 2016.[11] Battery trials were expected to be completed by July 2017 with 18 guns entering service in 2017, 36 guns in 2018, and 60 guns in 2019, for an Indian Army order of 114 guns.[12] Each regiment has 18 guns and two are reserved.

The Dhanush experienced a few problem during trials, failing on three occasions in a row in 2017.[13] It was reported in July 2017 that the howitzer failed the last phase of testing, due to the shell hitting the muzzle brake. A redesign of the barrel by widening it was being considered to solve the issue.[14][15] Later an investigation revealed the incident happened due to a defective shell. Further trials were conducted by firing about 5000 shells in the desert regions and icy glaciers of the Himalayas without any incident.[16] In June 2018, Dhanush completed final development trials.[17] In February 2019, it was approved for series production.[18]

The gun was officially inducted by the army on 8 April 2019. 93 Field Regiment becoming one of the first units to be armed with this gun and had the honour to participate in the 71st Republic Day Parade and Army Day parade in 2020 with its new equipment.[19]

Upgrade

Advanced Weapons and Equipment India upgraded 155 mm/45 calibre into 155 mm/52 calibre gun which can now fire upto 42 km. Dhanush weighs less than 14 tons. The newly upgraded gun has double baffle muzzle brake and retractable barrel. The upgraded Dhanush successfully completed the testing phase.[20]

Ramjet Propelled Artillery Shell

IIT Madras along with IIT Kanpur, Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) and Research Centre Imarat (RCI) are working on redesigning an existing 155 mm shell using ramjet propulsion with 60 km+ range that will be compatible with Dhanush. It will use precision guidance kit for trajectory correction. IIT Madras is ensuring that Munitions India can manufacture the shells.[7]

Variant

  • Towed variant
  • Self propelled/MGS:[21]

A vehicle mounted variant of the gun called Mounted Gun System was showcased by OFB at the Defexpo 2018 show. The gun is mounted on a 8x8 Tatra truck manufactured under license by Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) and has a 30 km/h cross country speed and 80 km/h road speed.[22]

Users

See also

References

  1. ↑ Press Trust of India (8 September 2015). "Indian Army to induct indigenous artillery gun Dhanush, first since the Bofors scandal". ibnlive.com. Archived from the original on 11 September 2015. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  2. ↑ Rahul Singh (27 September 2022). "Indian Army eyes major firepower upgrade to counter China". hindustantimes.com. Archived from the original on 23 October 2022. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  3. ↑ "India outlines 155 mm/52 calibre towed gun programme". Janes.com. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  4. ↑ Bedi, Rahul (9 April 2019). "Indian Army receives first six of 114 Dhanush howitzers". Jane's Defence Weekly. Jane's Information Group. Archived from the original on 10 April 2019.
  5. ↑ Indian artillery guns make a splash at DefExpo
  6. ↑ N C Bipindra (21 June 2014). "'Dhanush' Ready after Final Trials in Pokhran". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  7. 1 2 MP, Sidharth (21 February 2020). "IIT-M working on next-gen Ramjet-powered 155mm artillery shells for Indian Army". WION. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
  8. ↑ Pawar, B. S. (8 May 2023). "Stuck at Aatmanirbharta - With China not backing down from aggressive action on the border, modern guns are urgently required". Force. Vol. 20, no. 9. NOIDA, Uttar Pradesh, India: Arrowhead Media Pvt Ltd. pp. 40–44. Archived from the original on 8 May 2023. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  9. ↑ "An eye on fixed target 'Dhanush' is all set to serve nation: Artillery gun inducted in the Indian Army".
  10. 1 2 "Desi Bofors howitzer undergoes final trials in major boost to indigenization". The Times of India. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  11. ↑ "Gun Carriage Factory hands over 3 'Dhanush' guns to Army". The Hindu. 17 July 2016. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 17 July 2016.
  12. ↑ "Army to Induct 18 Dhanush Artillery Guns This Year". The Hindu. 2 June 2017. Retrieved 4 June 2017.
  13. ↑ "Why L&T is offering the Indian army a homegrown artillery gun". indiatoday.in. 12 August 2021.
  14. ↑ "Desi howitzer fails last phase of tests | India News - Times of India". The Times of India.
  15. ↑ Arya, Shishir. "Made in India howitzer fails last phase of tests". The Economic Times.
  16. ↑ "Shots on target, finally". The Week. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
  17. ↑ "Dhanush artillery gun clears final test, ready for induction: Official". The Economic Times. The Times Group. Press Trust of India. 8 June 2018.
  18. ↑ Bedi, Rahul (19 February 2019). "Indian MoD approves local production of 114 Dhanush howitzers". Jane's Defence Weekly. New Delhi. Archived from the original on 20 February 2019.
  19. ↑ ANI (26 January 2020). "India's military strength, cultural diversity at display during 71st Republic Day Parade". Business Standard India. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  20. ↑ Kajal, Kapil (20 October 2022). "Defexpo 2022: India upgrades Dhanush towed guns". Janes. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
  21. ↑ "Danush 155 mm Field Howitzer | MilitaryToday.com". www.militarytoday.com. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  22. ↑ "Defexpo 2018: OFB showcases 155 mm/52 calibre Mounted Gun System | Jane's 360". www.janes.com. Archived from the original on 27 June 2018. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
  23. ↑ "Why L&T is offering the Indian army a homegrown artillery gun". India Today.
  24. ↑ "Indian Army Deploys Upgraded Dhanush Howitzers in Ladakh". 17 July 2023. Retrieved 9 December 2023.

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