Ultra-Light Howitzer: Titanium vs Steel, Ukraine war might have settled this question for India
The United States supplied Ukraine with 155-mm M777A2 towed howitzers but without digital computer systems that might have affected its accuracy as usual after initial success, Russian forces were able to counter the latest addition to the Ukrainian firepower and have destroyed nearly 15 M777A2 with counter Artillery firing, some units of M777A2 have also suffered minor damages in drone attacks but can’t be repaired due to use of lightweight material like Tiantinium that are not easy to repair.
High-ranking Ukrainian officials have confirmed that M777A2 offered them a precise firing solution but it is difficult to repair on the battlefield and even minor breakdowns can’t be fixed without getting specialized personnel involved in its repair which is not the ideal situation for unit members might want to be in the middle of the war.
Back home, India operates small units of M777A2 that are deployed in the Mountain terrain and has plans to induct more of the homemade offering like 155/39 Ultra-Light Howitzer developed by Private company Kalyani in India in both steel and Titanium variants that are presently going through Army trials and might be procured as Mounted Gun System to boost its firepower and for easier operations in the Mountain terrain.
Baba Kalyani chairman and managing director of Bharat Forge, the Flagship company of the Kalyani Group is one of its Interviews had said he could like Army to go for the Steel variant of the 155/39 Ultra-Light Howitzer since they are easy to repair and damaged components or section can be fabricated in lesser time and replaced in no time, but he warned that the Titanium variants are not only costly to procure but also are difficult to fabricate and repair and even spares take time to arrive since it takes a lot of time in the manufacturing process.
