Article Posted on : - Apr 28, 2015

The 155 mm calibre artillery gun Dhanush. An MoD photo

NEW DELHI (PTI): Dhanush, the indigenously designed and manufactured 155 mm calibre artillery gun, has successfully met all technical parameters during the winter and summer trials, Defence Minister Manohar Parikkar has said.

Informing the Members of Parliament of the Consultative Committee attached to his Ministry, Parikkar on Monday said Dhanush incorporates many improved features than the guns which the Indian Army was possessing at present.

The Consultative Committee was discussing the Role Performance and Future of Ordnance Factory Board (OFB), one of the oldest and largest production organisation of the Ministry of Defence.

OFB is a conglomerate of 39 ordnance factories with another two new projects being set up at Nalanda in Bihar and Korwa in Uttar Pradesh.

Parrikar said another notable achievement of OFB in the recent time has been the indigenous development of 40mm Multi Grenade Launcher (MGL) for 40x46mm Low Velocity Grenades (LVG).

He also said the Assault Rifle (AR) 'Ghaatak' (7.62x39mm) developed through in-house research and development has met all the parameters as per the General Staff Qualitative Requirements (GSQRs) during the trial evaluation by paramilitary forces under the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The Defence Minister also said the Ministry has taken a number of initiatives towards improving the performance of OFB.

It include efforts to operate OFB on a Corporate model (not Corporatise) with a commercial accounting system. The procurement manual has also been revised keeping in view the 'Make-In-India' plan to facilitate long term procurement, he said.

Quality audit of eight factories will be undertaken by a globally reputed firm to improve upon the existing processes and attain Zero Defect production system, Parikkar said, adding OFB was undergoing a paradigm shift from that of a manufacturer of defence equipment to a complete solution provider.

OFB's new role would encompass design, development, bulk production and life cycle sustenance equipment.

Parrikar said OFB would be made into a lead integrator of major platforms and as a manufacturer of world class defence equipment.

With the offset regime in place, OFB is also looking forward towards delivering many sub-systems to leading overseas players, he said.