The Armenian Army has completed trials of its initial batch of 155mm Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS) purchased from India in 2023.
Six howitzers were tested in various parts of the country, “programmed with the Armenian language in trajectory computational model,” Indian Defence Research Wing reported, citing sources.
Several other modifications have been incorporated into the gun to suit the Armenian Army’s specific requirements, the outlet added.
The artillery system was tested in India before Armenia cleared its purchase. Trials in Armenia assessed them in the country’s conditions for a long duration.
More Guns to Follow
According to Indian Defence Research Wing, the successful trials pave the way for a bigger order of 84 additional ATAGS.
The deal is likely to be around $155 million and was confirmed by Armenia in March.
Yerevan has bought a range of armaments from India to bolster its defenses against its neighbor Azerbaijan.
The purchases include the Akash air defense system, Swathi counter-battery radars, and Pinaka multiple-barrel rocket launchers.
Armenia is also reportedly seeking India’s help to upgrade its fleet of Su-30 fighter jets and purchase its missiles.
Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System
The 155mm/52-caliber towed artillery was developed by Armament Research and Development Establishment, Tata Advanced Systems, and Kalyani Strategic Systems for the Indian Army.
Development began in 2013, with the first trial in July 2016.
The gun’s validation trials were wrapped up in July 2022, paving the way for induction into the Indian Army.
It has a firing range of 48 kilometers (30 miles), and a rate of fire of 5 rounds per minute in burst mode, 10 rounds in 2 minutes 30 seconds in intense mode, and 60 rounds in 60 minutes in sustained mode.
The gun weighs 18 tons and is operated by a crew of six.