India expected to buy Singapore howitzers

Singapore is the front runner to supply the Indian military's planned purchase of ultralight howitzers, the Republic's first major defence contract from South Asia's dominant power, people familiar with the developments said."Most of the technical evaluation of the contract to buy 145 pieces of the ultra-lightweight 155mm cannons has been done," said an Indian official who has proved reliable in the past.Should the deal come through - possibly after field trials - it will be a major breakthrough for Singapore into India's arms market and help boost its economy's sagging export order-book.

The value of the contract is believed to be about S$1 billion (RM2.3 billion). ST Kinetics confirmed that it had participated in the tender for the Indian army's ultra-lightweight howitzer and towed howitzer requirements."As with all our commercial and defence negotiations, we are bound by customers" confidentiality requirements," a company spokesman in Singapore said.New Delhi, reliant on the Soviet Union and its successor state Russia for most of its defence needs, has embarked on a plan to diversify its arms purchases. Israel is nudging Russia to be the top supplier while US companies are eyeing major deals with the Indian Air Force and IndianNavy.

ST Kinetic's Pegasus ultralight howitzers, which weigh just above 5 tonnes, are capable of firing three rounds in 24 seconds. Heavy use of titanium and light alloy aluminium gives the machines both mobility and ruggedness. The Pegasus can be transported by helicopter as well as fixed wing aircraft. In the case of India's military that would probably mean Mi-26 heavy lift helicopters and Ilyushin 76 aircraft.

Only two companies, ST Kinetics and BAe Systems have weapons that match India's specifications for the ultralight guns. It was not clear if BAe had bid for the contract, though the Britain-based company is said to have displayed the weapon at a trade event in India last year.
Singapore also was included in the list of nations to which India sent the Request for Proposals for the heavier 52-calibre howitzers, people familiar with the issue said. That contract, for which there are several more bidders, envisages the outright purchase of 400 artillery pieces and licensed production in India of another 1,180 pieces. The tender for the ultralight cannons does not include a clause for licensed production in India, according to people who have seen the documents.

Posted in: Artillery,India,Singapore