Big boost for artillery: Army likely to order 300 more K9 Vajra SPGs

Big boost for artillery: Army likely to order 300 more K9 Vajra SPGs The Army is expected to order an additional 300 K9 Vajra self-propelled guns (SPGs) for the Regiment of Artillery.If executed, this would be the army’s largest order for the platform.The army currently operates 100 K9s and has already placed an order for another 100. An artillery regiment fields 18 guns, with two additional guns held as war-wastage reserves, so this procurement would allow the army to equip about 25 regiments with the K9.Under the field artillery rationalisation plan, the army had initially planned to acquire only 100 tracked SPGs and 180 wheeled SPGs.The K9 was originally procured to support strike formations intended to advance rapidly across enemy territory in plains and deserts.After the Galwan clashes and the subsequent standoff with China, the army deployed these guns to the high-altitude environment of eastern Ladakh near the Line of Actual Control. The platform has been modified to operate in those frigid conditions.The K9 combines mobility, firepower and protection to be an effective and survivable platform. Its shoot-and-scoot capability allows it to fire within 30 seconds and reposition in under a minute, minimising exposure to counter-battery fire. End of Article