Indian Army Plans to Acquire 300 More K9 Vajra Self-Propelled Guns

The Indian Army plans to acquire 300 more K9 Vajra self-propelled guns.

This significant order will boost the Regiment of Artillery.

The K9 Vajra's capabilities, including its shoot-and-scoot action and long-range firepower, make it a vital asset.

The platform's adaptability to diverse climates and its indigenous manufacturing further enhance its importance for national defense.

The Indian Army is expected to place an order for an additional 300 K9 Vajra self-propelled guns (SPGs) for the Regiment of Artillery, a move that would mark the largest procurement of the platform to date, reports TOI.

Apart from India and South Korea, the K9 is operated by nine other countries.

The system serves in environments ranging from the Arctic conditions of Finland to the desert regions of Egypt and Australia, highlighting its adaptability across varied operational settings.

How many K9 Vajra does the Indian Army operate?

The Army currently operates 100 K9 Vajra systems and has already ordered another 100.

If the proposed acquisition goes ahead, it would enable the force to equip around 25 artillery regiments with the tracked gun system.

An artillery regiment consists of 18 guns, with two additional systems maintained as war-wastage reserves.

The planned purchase would significantly expand the Army's K9 fleet beyond the numbers originally envisaged under the Field Artillery Rationalisation Plan.

Under that plan, the Army had initially intended to acquire 100 tracked self-propelled guns and 180 wheeled self-propelled guns.

If the proposed order for 300 additional K9 Vajra guns materialises, the Indian Army's fleet of the tracked self-propelled howitzer would rise to 500 units.

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The K9 Vajra was first inducted to support strike formations designed for rapid advances across enemy territory in plains and desert terrain.

K9 Vajra features

155 mm/52-calibre self-propelled artillery gun system.

Capable of long-range precision strikes.

Range of over 40 km with standard ammunition.

Range extends to around 54 km with extended-range and rocket-assisted projectiles.

Equipped with a shoot-and-scoot capability for rapid firing and repositioning.

Can fire a three-round burst in approximately 15 seconds.

Features a semi-automatic loading system.

Supports Multiple Round Simultaneous Impact (MRSI), allowing multiple shells to hit a target simultaneously.

Tracked platform designed for operations in deserts, plains and mountainous regions.

Modified for deployment in high-altitude areas such as eastern Ladakh.

Maximum speed of about 67 kmph.

Operational range of roughly 480 km.

Fitted with an advanced fire-control system.

Includes Nuclear, Biological and Chemical (NBC) protection for the crew.

Armoured design enhances survivability in combat conditions.

Role expanded after Ladakh deployment

Following the Galwan clashes and the military standoff with China, the Army deployed the K9 Vajra in the high-altitude conditions of eastern Ladakh near the Line of Actual Control.

The platform has since been modified to operate effectively in the region's extreme cold weather conditions.

Its combination of mobility, firepower and protection has made it a key artillery asset.

The gun's shoot-and-scoot capability enables it to fire within 30 seconds and relocate in less than a minute, reducing vulnerability to enemy counter-battery fire.

Make-in-India

The K9 Vajra was designed and developed by South Korea's Hanwha Defense and is assembled in India at Larsen & Toubro's Hazira facility.

The artillery system incorporates 14 major components manufactured in India, including the fire-control system, communication equipment, NBC protection system and the gunner's primary sight.

Nearly half of the platform's components by value are sourced domestically, contributing to indigenous defence manufacturing.