IIT Madras Developing India's First 155 Smart Ammunition

By siliconindia  |  Monday, 05 February 2024, 05:06:49 PM IST

IIT Madras Developing India's First 155 Smart Ammunition
IIT Madras has joined forces with Munitions India Limited, a Defense Public Sector Enterprise, to collaborate on the development of India's inaugural domestically designed 155 Smart Ammunition. The primary aim is to enhance the accuracy of the 155 mm shell, achieving a Circular Error Probable (CEP) of 10 meters, a significant improvement from the current 500 meters in Indian-developed ammunitions. Additionally, the project aims to boost lethality at the terminal impact point, as stated in an official statement by IIT Madras.
Munitions India is the country’s biggest manufacturer of a range of ammunition and explosives for the armed and paramilitary forces. Prof. G. Rajesh, Faculty, Department of Aerospace Engineering, IIT Madras, and his team of researchers will be developing the smart ammunition, which has a duration of two years. Elaborating on the key aspects of this project, Ravi Kant, Chairman and Managing Director, Munitions India said, this will be a giant leap forward for the country in achieving its goal of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’.
Prof. G. Rajesh said: "The Special Purpose Shell will house the guidance, navigation and control system along with roll isolation strategies, canard actuation system, fuze, shell body and warhead. The smart projectile will have complex technologies such as miniaturized electronics/sensors and mechanical structures. The proposed smart projectile will use the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) for guidance. This means independence from foreign governments’ satellite systems".
The defining features and components of the 155mm Indian Smart Ammunition encompass its compatibility with 39 and 45 calibre 155 mm Artillery Guns, allowing for seamless integration without necessitating alterations to the gun system. This guided shell is fin-stabilized and canard-controlled, with a maximum range of 38 km and a minimum range of 8 km. The ammunition operates in three modes – Point Detonation, Height of Burst, and Delayed Detonation. It is equipped with the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) for guidance, and the primary system is NAVIC, ensuring complete autonomy from any foreign agency involvement, with GPS serving as a backup.
Source: IANS

ON THE DECK

siliconindia