India's Dhanush Artillery Gun Enter Production Phase

Manufacturing of  India's Dhanush artillery guns has begun with the receipt of bulk production clearance (BPC) from the Indian army.

The total worth of 144 Dhanush guns is estimated to be of $19.8 million with an option to acquire up to 414 guns based on operational performance, The Indian Express reported today.

Gun Carriage Factory, Jabalpur plans to supply 6 guns within 6 months, another 12 within 12 months and another 36 guns within 24 months. This was decided at the OFB’s General Managers’ strategic conference held last month. However, it raises questions about the army’s plans to get all 144 guns from the OFB within three years.

The Ordnance Factories Board (OFB), an industrial organisation that functions under the Department of Defence Production of Indian Ministry of Defence, has started the production of indigenous artillery gun. It had been waiting for the BPC from the army to start production after Dhanush successfully passed evaluation by the Directorate General of Quality Assurance (DGQA) and the Maintainability Evaluation Trial.

As per its Field Artillery Rationalisation Plan, army needs to buy 2,820 artillery guns of various types to replace obsolete guns and equip new units.

OFB stated that the indigenous howitzer is better than the original Swedish gun in range, accuracy, reliability and ‘shoot-and-scoot’ capabilities. Bofors is a 155 mm/39 calibre gun, whereas Dhanush is a 155 mm/45 calibre. The enhanced calibre imparts a longer firing range.

Dhanush gun is based on the design and manufacturing technology obtained from Bofors in the 1980s.