User trials of the indigenous Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS) developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) jointly with private industry are scheduled to be resumed later this month and proceed with winter and summer trials to be completed by mid-2021, a defence official said.
Trials which began in September were paused after the gun suffered a barrel burst. An investigation is under way to determine the cause. “The guns will move some time next week to Balasore for initial proof firing trials. Winter trials should happen sometime in January. We will do the summer trials by mid next year,” the official said.
The ATAGS is a 155-mm, 52-calibre artillery gun jointly developed by the DRDO in partnership with Bharat Forge of the Kalyani Group and the Tata Power SED.
In August 2018, the Defence Acquisition Council approved the purchase of 150 ot these guns at an approximate Rs. 3,365 crore which would be split between the two companies. After the user trials, the Army has to give the Request For Proposal and the initial lot can be supplied immediately, the official said.
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