NEW DELHI: India will purchase between 315 and 450M109 self-propelled (SP) guns from the US to strengthen the Amy strike formations. The permission and technology for indigenous production of its wide-range of ammunition has also been sought, The US is willing to sell the gun on deferred payments according to authoritative sources.
The deal will be finalized when the defence minister, Sharad Pawar, visits the US in the beginning of April. He will head high-level delegation which may include the defence secretary, N.N. Vohra, and the vice-chiefs of the three services.
The US M109 AS version of the [gun will plug a big gap in the Indian Army’s strike capability. |The US of course, has improved upon its self-propelled guns technology and is now producing the latest M109 HIP AG version, which is meant only for its own forces. The technology being expensive, India has seed for the M109 AS version, which the US has in plenty. Moreover with the reduction of US troops in the European theater their M109. AS guns rendered surplus now, instead of can easily be diverted to India, according to sources, given the fact that Pakistan has about 310pieces of the earlier USM109 A2 version, the buy is being explained as tactically good This SP gun deal puts at rest speculation of buying the British AS-90 guns which is scheduled desert. The other equipment likely to be purchased includes air-defence and electronic warfare force multi pliers. Much will depend on with the US is willing to give and the mode of payments that are agreed upon,” observed sources.
However, with the up gradation of diplomatic ties with Israel, the medium technology force mult pliers like thermal imagers for night vision and retrofits of fir control systems of tanks earn now be sought from Tel Aviv. The reasons are obvious, Israelis the best in these areas; their equipment is reasonably. Priced and since they are manufacturing the equipment indigenously a third party’s permission for technology transfers not needed.
The purchase list also includes ANTPQ-36 and ANTPQ-37 radars costing about 57 million per set.
The ANTPQ-36 helps detect mortor fire and the ANTPQ-37 is used to locate gun fire. Pakistan possesses India these radar-types.
Also included is a replacement for the old L-70 air defence guns although the Army favours the US twin 35-mm Oertlikon gun as the possible replacement.
Article extracted from this publication >> March 20, 1992
