SOURCE: AFI
Bharat Forge Ltd. has secured a significant contract worth over ?6,000 crore from the Indian Army to supply 307 Advanced Towed Artillery Gun Systems (ATAGS). This development paves the way for the production of the ATAGS, a state-of-the-art artillery system developed indigenously by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
Both Tata Advanced Systems Ltd. (TASL) and Bharat Forge have been instrumental in developing their own variants of the ATAGS, leveraging the technological know-how shared by the DRDO. While both companies have showcased impressive capabilities, Bharat Forge’s variant has been selected for production.
Key differences between the two variants include variations in the engine housing, layer station, castor wheel, MVR & AGAPS, and ball screw actuators. These distinctions highlight the unique design approaches adopted by each company.
Bharat Forge will produce 60 per cent of the 307 ordered units, equivalent to approximately 184 units. The Tata will also manufacture the remaining 40 per cent of the howitzers based on the design of the first company. Importantly, the second firm must match the price set by the winning company, ensuring cost competitiveness in the production process.
The selection of Bharat Forge’s ATAGS variant marks a significant milestone for India’s defense industry. It showcases the nation’s growing self-reliance in defense manufacturing and underscores the potential for indigenous technologies to meet the evolving needs of the armed forces.