As the Chinese army disengage from their positions in Ladakh after a nearly nine-month long standoff, the Indian Army is looking to test of its all-new 155mm/52-calibre K-9 Vajra self-propelled howitzers in the terrains of Ladakh, reports Times of India.
The self-propelled howitzers were built in Gujarat in a joint venture between Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and South Korean weapons major Hanwha Defence.
The Indian Army completed the procurement of 100 howitzers at a cost of ₹4,366 crore. The army has now deployed three units of the howitzers in Ladakh to assess their suitability for deployment in the high-altitude region where the temperatures can fall well below minus 20 degree Celsius. The guns have a strike range of 38 km.
The last of the 100 howitzer guns was flagged off by Indian Army’s Chief of Staff General MM Naravane on Thursday, 18 February, from the Armoured System Complex of L&T at Hazira near Surat, Gujarat.
The order for the 100 self-propelled howitzers was placed by the government in 2017. If these guns perform to the standard in Ladakh, the Indian Army could consider placing additional orders.
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