To ramp up the firepower at the northern borders of the country, the Indian Army has deployed the M777 Ultra Light Howitzer (155mm) in the harsh terrain of the northern frontier of the nation.
The Ultra Lightweight Howitzer gun provides a rapid reaction that delivers firepower under sustained combat conditions. Further, it is a highly transportable gun system which enables rapid deployment as it can be airlifted by the CH-47F(I) Chinook heavylift helicopters.
“The Indian Army has inducted the M777 Ultra Light Howitzer (155mm) in harsh terrain of the Northern Borders. The gun is highly transportable for rapid deployment to meet any operational contingency,” Additional Directorate General of Public Information (ADGPI) mentioned on a micro blogging site.
To meet operational contingency, a Light Artillery Regiment was converted to a medium regiment with the induction of M777 ULH in early 2021.
The Might of M777
With more than 1,090 M777s in service globally, the Ultra Lightweight Howitzer has a battle-proven rapid reaction that delivers firepower under sustained combat conditions. The ultralight gun consists of artillery technology which involves technical insertions, long-range precision guided munition developments and flexible mobility options.
The 155-mm, 39-calibre towed artillery gun weighs just four tonnes which makes it light enough to be airlifted underslung from Chinook helicopters operated by IAF. India has contracted 145 M777 guns from the BAE Systems (British Aerospace) and over half of them have been inducted.
Coming to the production of M777, BAE Systems has collaborated with Mahindra as its business partner for an in-country Assembly, Integration & Test (AIT) facility for the M777 Ultra Lightweight Howitzer. The facility will be a fundamental part of the M777 production line and enable the Indian Army to access maintenance, spares and support for the M777 locally.
As part of this procurement, BAE Systems will make an offset investment of more than $200 million in Indian defence suppliers, providing the access to the BAE Systems group across its Air, Land, Sea and Security programmes.
The Indian Army has significantly augmented its firepower along Line of Actual Control (LAC) while also beefing up overall military might in the region especially in the Tawang sector by integrating various services in real time through automation. This includes upgraded L-70 air defence guns, M777 Ultra Light Howitzers, and an automated and electronic fusion of Bofors and other artillery guns.
Further, Indian Army has also deployed the K9 Vajra-T 52-calibre self-propelled artillery gun in Ladakh which significantly enhances the range of its artillery in the area. The self-propelled guns have a range of 38 kilometers but they have been successfully hitting targets at 50 kilometers in the mountains up to 16,000 feet altitude in Eastern Ladakh.
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