Dhanush artillery gun clears final test

Jabalpur, June 8: India's first indigenous, long- range artillery gun “Dhanush” has passed its final test at Pokhran, paving the way for its induction into the Army, a senior official said today.

Between June 2- 6, fifty rounds of shells each were fired from six Dhanush guns, Gun Carriage Factory Senior general manager SK Singh said.

Dhanush is a 155mm* 45mm calibre artillery gun and is also called the “desi Bofors”. “Six guns in battery formation ( at one go and at one target) successfully fired 101 rounds on June 7,” Mr Singh informed.

He said that the GCF got the Dhanush project in October 2011 and the first prototype was made in 2014. Later, 11 more prototypes were made from which 4,200 rounds were fired. The gun has passed tests under severe cold conditions in Sikkim and Leh and in hot and humid weather in Balasore, Odisha, Babina in Jhansi and in the desert of Pokhran in Rajasthan, Singh said.

He said that during the trial in Pokhran a year ago, the muzzle and barrel of the howitzer exploded two times. A probe by different ministry of defence departments into the two incidents, however, did not find any fault with the gun, Mr Singh said, adding that Dhanush is among the finest artillery guns in terms of accuracy.

It has 38 km strike range and 81 per cent of its components are indigenously sourced, official said.