New Delhi: Indian army is to commence the fourth round of trials in Pokhran for awarding the multi-billion dollar 155MM 52-calibre tracked and towed artillery guns contract.
The decision to go in for the fourth round of summer trials for the Swedish SWS Defence Bofors guns and Israeli Soltam has been taken despite the Swedish guns emerging with a clear edge in earlier rounds and the Israeli Soltam gun not even completing the last round of winter trials, army sources said.
Artillery Directorate, which wants the entire Indian fleet of field guns to be converted to 155mm 52-calibre weapon system, is said to be not very enthusiastic at the government's indecision.
It is hoping that political controversy does not saddle it with the second best option.
South African gun major Denel, who were the third bidders for the Indian contract to purchase 400 more 155MM 52 claibre towed guns, have not been invited to the trials.
Denel has been blacklisted pending CBI probe into alleged payoffs in the company's contract to sell anti-material rifles to the army.
"The summer trials would be followed by winter tests in late November in Ladakh," army officials said.
Defence Ministry is also in the process of refloating international tenders for the wheeled version of the 155MM gun.
The tenders will be refloated following the Parliamentary standing committee and Comptroller and Auditor General rasing objections to NDA government awarding the contract to South African company Denel without holding any trials for the gun system.
In the wake of objections, Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee had said, "we propose to float new tenders for the wheeled guns".
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Denel would not be allowed to re-bid for the tender, army officials said.
This is the first time, artillery officials said that four rounds of trials were being held for acquisition of weapons system.
Even as the process for holding trials for the upgraded 155MM guns was on, Swedish SWS defence, whose Bofors 155MM guns played a sterling role in Kargil crisis, have again offered the army the option of upgrading its 400 FH 155MM guns in use with the army.
The company is at present in negotiations with major Indian private companies Larsen and Tubro and Bharat Forge to create a subsidiary for upgradation and servicing of 155MM guns in use with the army.
"We will employ the subsidiary for technology transfer and offsets is the new contract is arrived at with India", SWS Defence officials said.
The Bofors offer comes even as Army is contemplating giving more orders for the Russian 130mm upgunned to 155MM by Israeli firm Soltam. The upgraded guns have twice failed trials.
Former artillery officials said the upgunned 130MM guns not only carry outdated technology and could not be used in mountains, because they have limited elevation upto 45 degrees.
The gun was manually operated and there was no automation provided to enable it to automaticaly loaded and fired, they said.
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