ADVANCED TOWED ARTILLERY GUN SYSTEMS- ATAGS

1. Background

• Indian Army has a long-standing requirement of replacing the existing fleet of 105 mm, 130 mm and 155 mm FH77B 39 calibre guns with 155 mm x 52 calibre guns to keep pace with the worldwide trend of artillery guns.
• Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS) is a fully indigenous 155 mm x 52 calibre towed artillery gun system developed in mission mode by DRDO as a part of the Artillery Modernisation program of the Indian Army.
• The ATAGS is the maiden initiative by DRDO in the development of long-range artillery guns for the Indian Army through completely indigenous development efforts.
• The development of ATAGS is a mission to build capability and infrastructure for the Modern Gun system and create a national resource for the capacity to build the most advanced gun system worldwide.
• The ATAGS is an indigenous 155 mm x 52 calibre howitzer gun developed by the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) with its Pune-based facility Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) being the nodal agency.
• ATAGS was inducted into the Army with the symbolic activity of a 21-gun salute, a crucial step in the journey and significant towards its induction on the occasion of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.

^{2. The Development of ATAGS}

• The ATAGS project was started in 2013 by DRDO to replace older guns in service in the Indian Army with a modern 155 mm artillery gun. 

• The ARDE has collaborated with Bharat Forge Limited and Tata Advanced Systems Ltd for the manufacturing of this specialized gun system.
• After several tests of the subsystems in the initial phases of development, July 2016 marked a key milestone when the proof-firing of ATAGS was conducted during the technical trials at DRDO’s Proof and Experimental Establishment (PXE) in Balasore.
• In August and September 2017, a record target range of around 48 km was achieved at Pokhran Field Firing Range.
• The system has subsequently undergone various levels of trials in different weather and terrain conditions.
• In 2020, the ATAGS reported a mishap during one of its test firing at Pokhran which was probed by the DRDO.
• The system is currently undergoing an evaluation by the Directorate General Quality Assurance (DGQA) marking its final stage before the Army places orders for it.
• The DGQA is a nodal agency for the quality assurance of all arms, ammunition, equipment and stores supplied to the Armed Forces.

3. Working on ATAGS

• ATAGS is a good example of synergised efforts resulting in a successful product right first time in a record time.
• Many DRDO labs contributed to the successful realisation of the ATAGS.
• The technological strengths and expertise of each lab were used to the fullest extent to develop various critical technologies.
• The system is configured with All Electric Drive technology, for the first time in the world, that will ensure maintenance-free and reliable operation over long periods.
• The automation will enable five-round Auto Multiple Round Simultaneous Impact (MRSI), automatic shell and charge loading, and ramming with automatic gun deployment.
• The automation of these operations also facilitates a higher rate of fire, fast coming into/out of action in the war scenario.
• It is equipped with an Integrated Fire Control System consisting of an inertial land navigation-based Automatic Gun Alignment and Positioning System, Muzzle Velocity Radar and a Ballistic Computer to carry out the online computation.
• The Gun system is also integrated with a Thermal Imager to impart night firing capability in direct fire mode.
• The system is configured with a Battery Command Post (BCP) that will command and control a battery of six to eight Guns over radio and line.
• The gun battery, ordnance and recoil system, breech mechanism and muzzle brake have been manufactured by private industrial partners.
• With the active participation of the leading private Indian industry, the armament system for ATAGS was test fired and proved successfully on 17 June 2016.
• The Gun Structure and Automotive System (GSA) and Gun Automation and Control System (GAC) have been developed by industrial partners.
• ARDE helped in the integration of the system. This resulted in a robust gun, which proved its design strength in December 2016, the automotive system and undercarriage for the gun that comprises a power pack, drive system, suspension system, braking system, cooling system and traction system were also successfully tested.
• ATAGS needed to adopt a new strategy for an automotive system for enhancing mobility, deployability and powering of the complete drive system including gun automation.
• A compact high efficient customised 110 kW Diesel Engine fitting to the stringent emission norms has been successfully realised.
• This is followed by a compact, high rigidity Power Take Off (PTO) for powering the wheel transmission, driving the 12 kW alternator, Charging of Battery Bank, and powering the hydraulic drive for auxiliary operations such as cooling system, caster wheel operation, deployment of Trails, Central Platform, drawbar actuation. 
• The unique technology incorporated by the team is the use of walking beam suspension as against the conventional hydro gas suspension as well as independent drive to all four wheels. 
• As a result of the development and incorporation of all these technologies, Self Propelled mobility of 18 km/hr, 360-degree pivotal turning, turning radius of fewer than 25 m and climbing at an 18-degree gradient could be achieved.
• The indigenous development of optronic sight, dial sight, and telescope and muzzle bore sight was a big task but the incorporation of these technologies was important for enabling the gun for direct fire role. 
• The complete optronic sight consists of Cooled Thermal Imager, Laser Range Finder, and CCD-based Daylight Camera.
• This has an identification range of up to 2 km and a detection range of up to 10 km.
• All these have been designed, developed and implemented through indigenously available sources.
• The Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (CAIR) and Defence Electronics Application Laboratory (DEAL) are responsible for the design and development of advanced communication and Fire Control systems for ATAGS. 
• The communication system comprises a complete package solution incorporating Tactical Computer (TC), Voice and Data Communication Unit (VDCU), and Software Defined Radio (SDR). 
• All the hardware and software have been designed and developed through indigenous sources.
• All these communication equipment have been tested with the gun system and has a standoff distance of 5 km as per the user’s requirements.
• The fire control software for ATAGS including the trajectory computation module has been designed, developed and integrated into the tactical computer. 
• The complete development has followed protocols for seamless integration and induction of the ATAGS in the Armed Forces.
• Proof & Experimental Establishment (PXE) is the sole agency for complete testing and evaluation of the ATAGS and its sub-systems. 
• The all-around support during the trials expedited the development and many systems could be realized in time.
• The instrumented support and the analysis of the critical data for the design were provided by PXE. 
• Private industries also played a vital role in the realization of the system and emerged as strong development partners of DRDO.
• Various private industries strengthened their resources for future requirements and enhanced their capabilities also.
• ATAGS will be a game changer and basis for future artillery development programmes. 
• It will lead the way to the development of its variants such as Tracked and Wheeled Mounted Gun System (MGS) and Self-Propelled (SP) Artillery Gun Systems. 
• The establishment of a manufacturing and integration facility for a large calibre artillery gun, foreseen during the development of ATAGS, will be the most significant task to move closer to self-reliance in this area. 
• All these efforts will bring India into the league of a few nations having a fully indigenous artillery gun system.

4. Prominent significance of ATAGS

• Internationally, the ATAGS is not only at par but also excels in many areas.
• The development time for realising the first two prototypes is the fastest in the world. 
• Within the first four years of the project the integrated gun system could be realized from the drawing board to the field level.
• The range achieved by ATAGS is the highest ever range achieved by any artillery gun in this category. 
• The 48 km range achievable by in-service ammunition is possible by ATAGS. 
• The all-electric drives in the gun system are the first used and demonstrated in any ATAGS and tried nowhere to date. Mobility of 20 km/hr is comparable with the guns available in this category world-over. 
• The firing of zone 7 Bi-Modular Charge System (BMCS) is possible only in ATAGS as compared to firing up to zone 5 by M777 and zone 6 by other international contenders.
• Most of the specifications such as range, mobility, fire control system, sighting system, etc., from the draft PSQR, have been achieved or exceeded by the ATAGS.
• The two integrated ATAGS systems (G1 & G2) after the successfully dynamic strength trials have undergone a series of Ballistics Confirmatory Trials at PXE and Technical Trials at PFFR, Pokhran.
• During the Pokhran trial, ATAGS achieved the world record milestone of attaining the highest ever range of 38.5 km and 48 km with in-service ammunition as compared to 30 km and 40 km being achieved by the contemporary artillery guns worldwide. 
• Recently, these gun systems have also successfully undergone mobility and firing trials at High Altitude Area, Sikkim Field Firing Range (SFFR), in January 2018. 
• Both the gun systems were taken in towed and self-propelled mode till the firing point at Menla. The systems fired excellently well in cold climatic conditions.

5. The prominent features of ATAGS

• The armament system of ATAGS mainly comprises a barrel, breech mechanism, muzzle brake and recoil mechanism to fire 155 mm calibre ammunition held by Army with a longer range, accuracy and precision and provides greater firepower.
• The ATAGS is configured with all-electric drives to ensure maintenance-free and reliable operation over a longer period.
• It has advanced features in terms of high mobility, quick deployability, auxiliary power mode, advanced communication system, and automatic command and control system with night firing capability in the direct fire mode.
• During its September 2017 test at Pokhran, the maximum ranges of 38.5 km and 48 km, with boat tail and an extended range full bore types of projectiles, were achieved.
• This, the DRDO officials say, is at least 20% more than ranges achieved by any contemporary gun system.
• During the same trials, a minimum range of 4.7 km was achieved from the systems meeting the critical parameter of minimum range at a high angle.

6. Way Forward