Defexpo 2016: Nexter Systems promotes "Make in India" Caesar and Trajan artillery systems

 
 
Defexpo 2016 Show Daily News
Land, Naval and Internal Homeland Security Systems Exhibition
28 - 31 March 2016
Goa , India
 
Nexter Systems at DefExpo 2016
 
 
Defexpo 2016: Nexter Systems promotes "Make in India" Caesar and Trajan artillery systems
The French defense contractor Nexter Systems came last week at Defexpo 2016 to promote several promising projects conducted under the "Make in India" initiative. Among others, the Trajan 155 mm/52 caliber towed gun is being offered to India to meet the country’s army TGS (Towed Gun System) while the CAESAR self-propelled howitzer is being proposed for India's Mounted Gun System (MGS).
     
Defexpo 2016 Nexter Systems promotes  ake in Indi Caesar and Trajan artillery systems 640 001Nexter Systems' Trajan 155mm towed gun scale model showcased at Defexpo 2016
(Credit: Army Recognition)
     
Nexter first promoted its Trajan 155 mm/52-calibre towed gun. The French company is teaming with local partner Larsen & Toubro against a couple formed by Elbit Systems and Bharat Forge. Nexter recently submitted its final bid in the TGS tender for a €1 billion ($1.1 billion) contract for 1,400 155mm towed cannons.

Trajan offers enhanced firepower through quicker response, longer range and improved accuracy. It covers larger areas with fewer guns and favours initiative, manoeuvring and quick reaction time while minimizing risks. Larsen & Toubro, in association with Nexter Systems, manufactured critical subsystems for the first Trajan prototype.

The Trajan towed gun has a rate of fire of 6 rounds per minute and a range of 42 km using base bleed-base bleed extended range full bore (BB/ERFB) shells and more than 55 km using rocket assisted ammunition. An 80 hp auxiliary power unit and hydraulic transmission are available to provide the howitzer with self-propelled capability with a road speed of 10 km/h and off-road speed of 5 km/h.

Nexter and L&S delivered the first Trajan prototype in 2013, with the assessment stage clotured in late 2015.

     
Defexpo 2016 Nexter Systems promotes  ake in Indi Caesar and Trajan artillery systems 640 002Nexter Systems' CAESAR 155mm self-propelled howitzer scale model showcased at Defexpo 2016
(Credit: Army Recognition)
     
Nexter is also promoting its CAESAR self-propelled howitzer, designed in cooperation with Larsen & Toubro and Ashok Leyland. India approved in November 2014 a budget of $2.5 billion for 814 of truck-mounted artillery, dubbed mounted gun system, with a bid due in 2018.

The artillery system proposed for the MGS programme by the consortium led by L&T acting as prime contractor is a version of the CAESAR artillery system fitted onto a 6×6 Super Stallion chassis from Ashok Leyland.