India Army on March 16, 2021 de-commissioned two of the longest-serving Artillery systems- the 130mm Self Propelled M-46 Catapult Guns and the 160mm Tampella Mortars at Mahajan Field Firing Ranges.
The decommissioning ceremony was marked by the customary firing of last salvos. The firing was attended by Director General Artillery Lt Gen K Ravi Prasad and other senior officers.
The two Artillery systems have been in the inventory of the Indian Army for almost 60 years. The decision to decommission the systems was taken to pave way for newer equipment that employ latest technologies.
About 130mm Catapult Guns
•The 130mm Catapult Guns have a range of more than 27 km.
•They were developed by successfully merging two existing weapon systems: Vijayanta tanks and 130mm M-46 guns.
•The hybrid weapons system was a response to the need for a mobile Artillery gun system to support strike formations on the Western borders, following the 1965 and 1971 India-Pakistan Wars.
•The Catapult Guns guns were inducted into service in 1981 and were employed successfully during several operations.
About 160mm Tampella mortars
•The 160mm Tampella mortars have a range of 9.6km.
•They were inducted into the Indian Army's service after the 1962 Sino-Indian War to fulfill the need for a weapons system to clear high crests of the Northern borders.
•The weapons system is originally an import from the Israeli Defence Forces.
•The mortar was successfully deployed in Hajipir Bowl and the Leepa valley on the LoC , playing a crucial role in maintaining the sanctity of the Line of Control.
•The mortars also played a significant role in the 1999 Indo-Pak Kargil war.
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