Army inducts home-made Dhanush howitzer

In a major boost to its fire power, the Indian Army on Monday received the first batch of six 'Dhanush' artillery guns from the Ordnance Factory Board, a defence official said.

The guns were handed over by Saurabh Kumar, Director General, Ordnance Factories and the OFB chairman, at a ceremony organised at the Gun Carriage Factory in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh.

The 155mm x 45 calibre modern artillery gun system was developed by the Ordnance Factories jointly with the army, the official said.

The OFB had received bulk production clearance in February, and the initial order of 114 guns was placed by the army.

The artillery gun incorporates the latest features such as an inertial navigation system, an on-board ballistic computer, direct day and night firing system, a modern target acquisition system and a communication system, the official said.

Weighing less than 13 tonnes, with a high ground clearance of 400 mm, 'Dhanush' is the "most manoeuvrable artillery system" and can be deployed in any terrain, he said.

Significant contributions have also been made by DRDO, public sector units such as SAIL and BEL and several private sector firms in the development of the gun, the official added.