Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System:
Indigenously made Advanced Towed Artillery Gun Systems (ATAGS) will replace the vintage and smaller calibre guns, with the Defence Ministry recently calling the project an “exemplary mission mode success”.
- It is a large-calibre gun system with the capability to program and fire future Long Range Guided Munitions (LRGM) to achieve precision and deep strike.
- It has been indigenously designed and developed by the Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE), the Pune-based laboratory of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
- The production partners of these ATAGS are two private sector companies–Pune-based Bharat Forge and Tata Advanced Systems.
- It will replace the vintage and smaller-calibre guns and enhance the artillery capabilities of the Indian Army.
- This 155 mm, 52-calibre gun system boasts an impressive range of over 40 km, placing it among the longest-range towed artillery systems
- The gun can fire all types of 155 mm ammunition, including high-explosive, precision-guided, smoke, and illumination shells.
- It boasts an enhanced firing rate of five rounds per minute and can sustain 60 rounds per hour.
- It also has the shoot-and-scoot capability and is also the first of its kind gun which is capable of achieving the shortest minimum range at a high angle.
- The gun is towed by a 6×6 platform, providing excellent mobility across varied terrains.
- Its all-electric drive system ensures higher reliability and reduces wear and tear compared to traditional hydraulic systems.
- The ATAGS is also designed to operate in extreme temperatures.
