Catapult guns & Tampella mortars, 2 long-serving artillery systems Army just decommissioned
Catapult guns had been in Army’s inventory for nearly 4 decades while Tampella mortars were inducted after 1962 war. They were decommissioned Tuesday.
Amrita Nayak Dutta 17 March, 2021 3:44 pm IST Text Size:
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New Delhi: Two of the Army’s longest serving artillery systems the 130mm self-propelled M-46 Catapult guns and the 160mm Tampella mortars were decommissioned Tuesday at the Mahajan Field Firing Ranges in the deserts of Jaisalmer.
The ceremony was marked with a customary last firing, in the presence of Lt. Gen. K. Ravi Prasad, Director General of Artillery, the Army said in a statement, adding that the systems have been decommissioned to make way for newer equipment employing the latest technologies.
They will make way for newer equipment employing latest technologies, it says
The Army on Tuesday decommissioned two of the longest serving artillery systems, the 130mm self-propelled M-46 catapult guns and 160mm Tampella Mortars from service at Mahajan field firing ranges.
“These weapon systems, having been in the inventory of the Army for close to 60 years, have been decommissioned to make way for newer equipment employing the latest technologies,” an Army statement said. The ceremony was marked by the customary firing of last salvos.
The 130mm Catapult inducted in 1981, with a range of more than 27 km, was a successful merger of two existing weapon systems, Vijayanta tanks and 130mm M-46 guns. “This hybrid platform was a response to the need for a mobile artillery gun system to support strike formations on the western borders, after the 1965 and 1971 wars,” the Army said.
Express News Service
NEW DELHI: Indian Army on Tuesday de-commissioned two of its longest serving Artillery systems. The Mahajan Field Firing Ranges witnessed the decommissioning ceremony marked by the customary firing of last salvos of the 130mm Self Propelled M-46 Catapult Guns and the 160mm Tampella Mortars in the presence of the Director General Artillery Lieutenant General K Ravi Prasad, the head of the Arm of Artillery.
The proud end of the systems followed a long operational experience. The 130mm Catapult, with a range of more than 27 km, was a successful merger of two existing weapon systems: Vijayanta tanks and 130mm M-46 guns.
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The closing ceremony was held at Mahajan Field Firing Ranges.
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Indian Army and US Army soldiers participate in the 16th edition of annual bilateral joint exercise Yudh Abhyas , at Mahajan Field Firing Range, Bikaner, Wednesday, Feb 10, 2021. | Photo Credit:
PTI
The closing ceremony was held at Mahajan Field Firing Ranges. The closing ceremony of the joint military exercise between the Indian and U.S. Army, ‘Exercise Yudh Abhyas-20’ was held at Mahajan Field Firing Range on Sunday. This was the 16th edition of the joint exercise and it began on February 8. The aim of the exercise was to focus on counter terrorism operations under the mandate of the United Nations.