INDIGENOUSLY developed ‘Sharang-155/45’ artillery gun was handed over to the Indian Army at Defence Expo in Lucknow on Friday. Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) Chairman and Director General of Ordnance Factories Hari Mohan handed over the modern artillery gun system to Chief of Army Staff General M M Naravane in esteemed presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath.

Sharang Gun is an upgraded version of old Sovietese 30 mm artillery gun to a modern 155x55 mm calibre artillery gun system at Gun Carriage Factory (GCF) Jabalpur in collaboration with Ordnance Development Centre, Kanpur, and Ordnance Factory Kanpur. The modern Sharang Gun is robust reliable and cost effective and has excellent export potential.

Along with handing over of Sharang Gun, 5.56x30 mm JVPC Alpha Carbine which is more ergonomically designed weapon with enhanced reliability and accuracy, while Belt Fed LMG 7.62x51 mm, gas operated, air cooled, highly reliable accurate and lethal weapon and has a low recoil. The 40x46 mm Under Barrel Grenade Launcher Ammunition developed indigenously by the Ammunition Factory Khadki, Pune, having a range of 400 mm were also launched on the occasion. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) with IITM was also signed for contract for Acquisition of Research Services (CARS) to secure expertise in the area of Research and Development of Ammunition. The signatories were Professor M Gettu from IITM and Ravi Kant, General Manager, Ordnance Factory Khamaria.

On the occasion, Secretary Defence, Government of India and other senior officers of Ministry of Defence and Ordnance Factory Board were present.