ATAGS (howitzer)

Lore & Background

The ATAGS project was initiated in 2013 by DRDO to replace older artillery guns in the Indian Army. Development was led by ARDE with assistance from several DRDO laboratories and private partners including Bharat Forge, Mahindra Defence Naval System, Tata Power SED, and Advanced Weapons and Equipment India. The gun was first publicly showcased at the 69th Republic Day parade on 26 January 2018. It was used in the 21-gun salute during the 76th Independence Day celebrations on 15 August 2022, replacing the British-origin 25-pounder which had been retired from ceremonial use.

Reader's Guide

The ATAGS underwent extensive trials from 2016 onward. In August–September 2017, during summer/desert trials at Pokhran Field Firing Range, it broke the then world record for a 155 mm/52 calibre gun by firing a round to 47.2 kilometres, later achieving 48.074 kilometres with HE-BB ammunition. Winter trials in Sikkim at 11,000 feet and −20 °C were completed in March 2018. User trials in September 2020 saw a barrel burst in the TASL variant, but the gun was cleared for further trials after investigation. Validation trials in April–May 2022 paved the way for induction. As of July 2025, the first regiment of ATAGS is to be raised by February 2027. The project has been termed 'an exemplary Mission Mode success' by the ARDE Director.

Did You Know?

• ATAGS broke the world record for a 155 mm/52 calibre gun in 2017 by firing a round to 47.2 kilometres.
• The gun has a six-round magazine instead of the standard three-round magazine.
• In September 2020, a barrel burst occurred during user trials, injuring four personnel; the gun was later cleared for further trials.
• Armenia ordered 6 ATAGS from Kalyani Strategic Systems by August 2023, delivered by end of 2023.

A Multi-Partner Development Effort

The ATAGS programme, launched in 2013 under DRDO's umbrella, represents one of India's most complex collaborative defence undertakings. The nodal laboratory, ARDE, coordinated with a constellation of supporting institutions including IRDE, VRDE, PXE, CAIR, and DEAL. On the industrial side, the project was structured under DRDO's Development cum Production Partner framework, initially involving Bharat Forge, Mahindra Defence Naval System, Tata Power SED, and Advanced Weapons and Equipment India. The two primary development and manufacturing partners that emerged were Tata Advanced Systems (TASL) and Kalyani Strategic Systems (KSSL), a Bharat Forge subsidiary. The gun's development stretched roughly four years, with completion originally targeted for March 2017. Delays were traced to challenges in realizing the ordnance and recoil system, as well as supply-chain issues around sub-system manufacturing. The system is a 155 mm, 52-calibre towed howitzer designed to replace the Indian Army's ageing artillery inventory.

From Proof Firing to World Records

The ATAGS trial record spans nearly a decade of rigorous testing across India's most demanding environments. Proof firing of the armament took place on 14 July 2016 at PXE in Balasore, with both the KSSL and TASL prototypes passing successfully, followed later by two additional prototypes after clearance. A fully integrated live-fire test followed in December 2016. The most celebrated milestone came during the August–September 2017 desert trials at Pokhran, where the gun shattered the then world record for a 155 mm/52 calibre system, sending a round 47.2 km and later 48.074 km with HE-BB ammunition. Winter trials in Sikkim at 11,000 feet and minus 20 degrees Celsius in March 2018 confirmed high-altitude viability. A barrel burst during September 2020 user trials injured four personnel, but an investigation cleared the gun by November 2020. Final validation trials in April–May 2022 at Pokhran paved the way for induction into service.

A Place of Honour in Indian Service

The ATAGS earned its ceremonial distinction quickly. On 26 January 2017, both the TASL and KSSL prototypes rolled past the ramparts during the 68th Republic Day parade, marking the gun's first public appearance. A more symbolic moment arrived during the 76th Independence Day celebrations, when the ATAGS was included for the first time in the traditional 21-gun salute battery alongside the venerable British-origin 25-pounder. In Indian Army service, the system carries the name Amogh. By September 2022, following successful validation trials, the Army fast-tracked the howitzer's induction into frontline units. The gun's mobility credentials were further demonstrated in February 2021, when the KSSL variant was towed to Lukrep in North Sikkim at 15,500 feet, covering 341 km over roughly ten days through steep gradients and hairpin bends without unhooking from the tow vehicle. Both the Bharat Forge and Tata variants showed equivalent performance factors during these demanding high-altitude mobility tests.

Export Ambitions and Domestic Procurement

The ATAGS has begun its journey beyond Indian borders. By August 2023, the Armenian Ground Forces had ordered six units from KSSL, manufactured at the Pune facility and delivered by the end of 2023. Armenia successfully tested these guns at multiple locations by mid-2024 and, as of October 2024, plans to acquire an additional 84 units. Domestically, the Indian Army's procurement trajectory has been substantial. Following the 2022 trial completion, reports indicated an initial 150-gun order split between TASL and Bharat Forge at roughly 3,365 crore rupees. In March 2023, the Ministry of Defence received a proposal exceeding one billion dollars for 307 ATAGS, with the order to be divided in a 60-to-40 ratio between the two partners. KSSL emerged as the lowest bidder, while TASL was required to match that price to secure its 40 percent share. As of November 2024, Bharat Forge was still actively participating in the pricing process.