In the year 2016, the Indian Army had decided to buy 145 howitzers from the US. This deal was worth about $ 750 million i.e. about Rs 5500 crore. So far, the Indian Army has got 89 Howitzer guns. By June 2022, it will get 56 more guns. The army has deployed most of these guns in Ladakh. Where the armies of India and China are face to face for the last one and a half years. It is manufactured by a company called BAE Systems. He had supplied 25 guns in fully prepared mode. The rest of the guns are being made in India in partnership with a company called Mahindra Defense.
Howitzers are one of the most advanced guns in the world. In this, 155 mm / 39 caliber shells are used. They can be fired at a range of up to 30 km. In some areas, these guns can be fired up to 40 km. According to the report of Hindustan Times newspaper, Lieutenant General SL Narasimha, a member of the National Security Advisory Board, says that according to the need, the howitzer can be easily moved from one area to another. The strength of the army has increased a lot with these guns.
The reason for these guns made of titanium and aluminum is about half compared to other guns of the same class. Their weight is about 4218 kg. They can be easily taken anywhere by helicopter CAH-47F Chinook of the Indian Air Force. In this way, they can be deployed in a very short time in high mountainous areas.
Brigadier Sanjeev Kumar, who has been a commander in Arunachal Pradesh, says that there are many areas where heavy artillery cannot be deployed. But the M777 can be easily loaded into the Chicoon helicopter and can be easily deployed from one place to another.
Lt Gen Anindya Sengupta to take charge of Fire and Fury Corps in Ladakh amid standoff with China
The order for the M777 guns was placed in the year 2016. The Indian Army has executed some cannon deals after almost three decades. Bofors guns were bought in the 1980s. By the way, that deal was in a lot of controversies. Apart from the howitzer, the Indian Army has also deployed two other guns K9 Vajra T and Bofors guns in the Ladakh sector. The K9 has been made by Indian company Larsen & Toubro in association with South Korean company Hanwha Techwin. These are also very light guns and have been developed for the plains, but the Indian Army has made some changes in it to make it effective for the hilly areas.
There has been a standoff between India and China for almost 18 months. On both sides of the LAC, 50 to 60 thousand armies are deployed in a fully armed position. Both countries have deployed heavy weapons in these areas.
