For years, the Indian Army suffered from the lack of potent artillery firepower. During the Kargil War, it was the Bofors gun that proved its prowess, but a new gun was not even in sight. But those days are long gone.
DRDO¡¯s home made ATAGS (Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System) of which nearly 2,000 examples will soon equip the various units of the artillery regiment, has just proved itself to be a devastating weapon. During the recently conducted field trials at the Pokhran range, the gun fired three shells out to a range of 47.2 kms.
Farther than any other gun in the world!
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The 155 mm 52-calibre gun is now a world record holder. During tests, the gun fired a long range ¡®High explosive ¨C base bleed¡¯ round. Most 155mm guns in the world max out between 40 km and 45 kms.
According to a Sputnik report, the reason for the longer range of the ATAGS is the 25-litre volume of its chamber that allows higher quantities of propellant to be used. Other similar guns have a chamber of about 23-litre capacity. The gun is also unique in having a six-round magazine that gives it a higher rate of fire compared to three-round magazines in others.
Indianexpress
The ATAGS has been developed by DRDO in conjunction with two companies ¨C Tata Power SED and Bharat Forge.