The Advanced Towed Artillery System (ATAGS), dubbed the “future pillar of Army artillery” by the Department of Defense, is on its way to the final stage of operational deployment.
ATAGS was launched in the mid-2010s as one of several initiatives aimed at increasing India’s artillery firepower. The project is a collaboration between India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and co-developer Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL), involving Bharat Forge, Mahindra Defense Naval System, Tata Power SED and Advanced Weapons and Equipment India . The goal is to provide an indigenously developed 155m/52 caliber with increased range and enhanced operational characteristics to meet the challenges of the future battlefield.
Live-fire testing of the Advanced Towed Artillery System prototype began in July 2016. Despite some setbacks, the tests were deemed successful enough that the Defense Acquisition Board approved the purchase of 150 ATAGS. The estimated cost of the acquisition is 3,364.78 billion Indian rupees ($420 million).
This spring (2022), ATAGS successfully completed an initial quality of service requirement assessment aimed at validating system performance. This clears the way for full-scale production of the RFP expected soon. Procurement will be made under the Indigenous Design, Development and Manufacture (IDDM) category procedures and limited to local manufacturing.
The 155mm/L52 ATAGS have a maximum range of 35km and rocket-assisted projectiles have a maximum range of 45km. It can fire up to 5-6 rounds per minute and is capable of Multiple Simultaneous Impact (MRSI) firing, where all shells are fired at the same time.
ATAGS has an automatic loading, artillery alignment system and ballistic computer that uses data from land-based navigation systems to improve laying accuracy and rate of fire. With a crew of seven, it also has its own 147-horsepower diesel engine and a steering system that can move on its own once the howitzer is in place. Settling time is less than 2 minutes. Towing is carried out by dedicated 6 X 6 Ashok Leyland FAT trucks. It has a cab for the gunner, carries ammunition, and has a hydraulic lift for automatic ammunition loading and unloading.
Both ATAGS and the new Dhanush howitzer, approved for production in 2019, are manufactured in India and are designed to replace older towed guns in the coming years.
Stephen W. Miller
