Indian Army to begin deploying light howitzers in eastern sector

WALONG(ARUNACHALPRADESH): The Indian Army is preparing to deploy its new M777 ultra-light howitzers in eastern Arunachal Pradesh for accurate artillery fire support in the mountainous terrain that could prove to be a “game-changer” in the sector, two officers familiar with the move told HT.

The 155 mm/39-caliber howitzers, which can be sling-loaded t o heli copters and s wiftl y deployed to high-altitude areas, are likely to be inducted by the year-end, the first officer said. India ordered 145 howitzers from the United States for $750 million in November 2016.

“The M777s will be a gamechanger in the eastern sector. The highly portable guns can be

swiftly deployed and redeployed for missions using the Boeing CH-47F (I) Chinook helicopters. The howitzers will be part of light artillery regiments,” the second officer said.

The howitzers have a range of 24-30km.

The tactical mobility will enable quick insertion of the howitzers in areas close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China, which can move weapons, equipment and troops at a swifter pace because of better infrastructure, he said.

“It’s certainly a much-needed capability upgrade. Moving heavier guns around is not easy. Even soldiers take two days to reach the forward posts from Tezu (headquarters of the 82 Mountain Brigade),” he added. Tezu is located 250km south of Kibithu, which is along the LAC and accounts for the army’s eastern-most deployments.

The M777s are a key component of the army’s field artillery rationalisation plan (FARP), cleared in 1999. The ~50,000-crore FARP lays down the road map for inducting new 155mm weaponry, including tracked self-propelled guns, truck-mounted gun systems, towed artillery pieces