Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System

The Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System

Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System
(ATAGS)[8] is a towed 155 mm/52 calibre howitzer
(ATAGS)
that is being developed for the Indian Army by
Armament Research and Development Establishment
(ARDE), Tata Advanced Systems and Kalyani
Strategic Systems.[9]

Bharat Forge and Tata Advanced Systems are

manufacturing partners.[10]

ATAGS during firing trials

Development Type Towed Howitzer
Place of origin India
Service history
Used by See Users
Production history
Designer Armament Research
Advanced Towed Artillery Gun and Development
System (ATAGS) Establishment
Tata Advanced
Systems
The Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS)
Kalyani Strategic
project was started in 2013 by DRDO to replace older
Systems
guns in service in the Indian Army with a modern
155mm artillery gun.[11] DRDO laboratory Armament Designed 2013-2017
Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) Manufacturer Bharat Forge
partnered with private players Bharat Forge, Mahindra Tata Advanced
Defence Naval System, Tata Power SED and public Systems[1]
sector unit Advanced Weapons and Equipment India Produced 2019
for this purpose.[12]
Specifications
With ARDE as the nodal laboratory, development is Mass 18 tonnes (18 long
being assisted by Instruments Research and tons; 20 short
Development Establishment (IRDE), Vehicle Research tons)[2]
and Development Establishment (VRDE), Proof and Barrel length 8060 mm
Experimental Establishment (PXE), Centre for Crew 6-8
Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (CAIR), and
Defence Electronics Applications Laboratory
[13] Caliber 155 mm/52 Cal
(DEAL). It was part of the Development cum
Action Auto gun alignment
Production Partner programme (DCPP) of DRDO.[14]
and positioning
Breech Screw type
The development of the gun took about 4 years and is Recoil Electro-
expected to be complete by March 2017. The delay in rheological/Magneto-
completion of the project was attributed to realization of rheological
ordnance and recoil system and supply issue with Elevation Servo based,
manufacturing of sub-systems. The gun is expected to -3/+75°
start user trials in 2017 and production is expected to
Traverse Servo based, +/-25°,
start in 2019.[15][16][17][18]
25 m diameter
It was first publicly showcased at 68th Republic Day Rate of fire
Burst: 5 rounds
parade on 26 January 2017.[19] For the first time, an
in 60 sec
indigenously developed howitzer gun, the ATAGS was
Intense: 10
included in the 21 gun salute alongside the British
origin 25-pounder as part of the 76th Independence day rounds in 2 min
30 sec
celebrations. Two howitzer were included in the battery
that fired the 21 gun salute.[20] ATAGS is being fast- Sustained: 60
tracked by Indian Army for induction as of 27 rounds in 60 min
September 2022.[21] Effective firing range 48.074 km[3]
Maximum firing range 48.074 km (using
Design High Explosive Base
Bleed
The gun consists of a barrel, breech mechanism,
ammunition)[4][5]
muzzle brake and recoil mechanism to fire 155 mm
60 km+ (using
calibre ammunition with a firing range of 48 km. It has
Ramjet Propelled
an all-electric drive to ensure reliability and minimum
Artillery Shell, under
maintenance over a long period of time. It has
development)[6]
advanced features like high mobility, quick
deployability, auxiliary power mode, advanced Feed system Electrically operated
ammunition handling
communication system, automatic command and
control system with night capability in direct-fire Sights Thermal sight
mode.[16] The gun is two tons lighter than guns in the Gunners display
same category and is designed to provide better
accuracy and range and is capable of firing five Maximum speed With towing vehicle
successive rounds in short duration. 80 kmph, Self
propelled 12kmph
It is compatible with C3I systems like Artillery Combat with 95kw APU [7]
Command and Control System (ACCCS) called Shakti
for technical fire control, fire planning, deployment management, operational logistics management of the
Indian Army.[22][23]

Ramjet Propelled Artillery Shell

IIT Madras along with IIT Kanpur, ARDE and Research Centre Imarat (RCI) are working on redesigning
an existing 155 mm shell using ramjet propulsion that can cover 60 km+ range. It will be made compatible
with ATAGS. The shell will use precision guidance kit for trajectory correction. IIT Madras will ensure that
Munitions India can manufacture the shells.[6]

155 mm Smart Artillery Shell

IIT Madras is working with Munitions India to develop 155 mm Smart Artillery Shells with a CEP of less
than 10 meters that are compatible with firing from ATAGS without the need for modification. Utilizing fin
stabilization, canard control, and a three-mode fuse operation, the shell will be guided by NavIC satellites.
Its range will be 8 km at minimum and 38 km at maximum.[24]

Trials
DRDO conducted the proof firing of armament for the 155/52 calibre Advanced Towed
Artillery Gun System on 14 July 2016. The test was successful.[25]
Fully integrated, 155-millimeter artillery gun fired its first rounds of live ammunition at the
Proof and Experimental Establishment (PXE) in Balasore, Odisha on 14 December 2016.[26]
During trials in 2017, ATAGS broke the then world record for 155 mm/52 calibre gun by firing
the round to a distance of 47.2 kilometres. It again registered a maximum distance of 48.074
kilometres with high explosive–base bleed (HE–BB) ammunition, surpassing the maximum
ranges fired by any artillery gun system in this category.[5][4]
The gun successfully completed trials and the manufacturing of first lot of 40 guns is to start
soon.[27]
The gun underwent user trials in September 2020 and suffered a major setback with a barrel
burst injuring four personnel. Investigations are on to ascertain and solve the
problem[28][29][30] and in November 2020, after an investigation the gun was cleared for
further trials
In June 2021, ATAGS successfully completed trials at 15,000 feet (4,600 m) altitude.
On May 2, 2022, the ATAGS successfully completed all field trials, paving way for induction
into Army.

Variants
ATAGS - Towed by a High Mobility Vehicle (HMV)[31]
MGS - It equips ATAGS on an eight-wheeled HMV developed by Bharat Earth Movers
Limited (BEML).[32][33]

Users
Armenia - 84 guns on order in August 2023[34] with 6 delivered in September 2023.[35]
They will replace D-30 and 2A65 howitzers in Armenian service.[36]

Potential Users
India - The Indian Ministry of Defence has received a proposal worth over $1 Billion from
the Indian Army for the purchase of 307 Advanced Towed Artillery Gun Systems (ATAGS).[37]
 The ATAGS are planned to be deployed at
the borders with China and Pakistan.[38]

See also
List of equipment of the Indian Army
Other towed artillery systems in use in
different armies:
M777 howitzer – British/American 155
mm towed artillery
Haubits FH77 – Swedish 155 mm towed ATAGS operators as of 2023
howitzer
FH70 – British/German/Italian 155 mm
towed howitzer
152 mm howitzer 2A65 Msta-B – Soviet / Russian towed artillery
Soltam M-71 – Israeli 155 mm towed howitzer
KH179 – South Korean 155 mm towed howitzer
SLWH Pegasus – Singaporean 155 mm towed howitzer
AH4 howitzer – Chinese 155 mm towed artillery
Panter howitzer – Turkish howitzer

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