Nexter Offers Caeser Howitzer 155mm/52 Caliber Gun to Indian Army
Dated 18/6/2008
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French defence major Nexter hopes to interest the Indian Army in its Caesar truck-mounted howitzer that it is projecting as the "artillery gun of the 21st century".
The forward-facing 155mm/52 caliber gun is mounted on a 4x4 or 6x6 truck chassis depending on the terrain it has to be deployed in and is superior to the self-propelled or towed variety of the weapon for which the Indian Army has floated a global tender earlier this year, its manufacturer says.
"Its low weight of around 18 tonnes reduces both complexity and cost. Its strategic, operational and tactical mobility is superior to that of both the self-propelled guns and towed guns. It matches the reactivity of the self-propelled guns and the light weight of the towed variety," Laurent Nicolas, Nexter's vice president for international affairs Asia and Australia, told a group of visiting Indian journalists at an international defence exposition here.
"When compared with a towed gun and its hauler, the Caesar is shorter and requires less space, is far more mobile and maneuverable, both cross country and on the road, and requires fewer gun crew members.
"When on the move, gun crew survival is ensured by an armoured cab, and the time spent stationary at the firing position is very short," Nicolas added while pointing to the benefits of the gun at the Eurosatory 2008 defence exhibition in Paris-Nord Villepinte.
"We are open to any kind of Indian specifications. We are ready for full transfer of technology, but this is subject to the French government's permission. We are also open for joint development, private partnership or redevelopment in the customer country," the official said.
Transfer of technology is mandated under India's Defence Procurement Procedure enunciated in 2006. It contains a key offset clause that mandates that 30 percent of all military deals valued at over Rs.3 billion ($75 million) be reinvested in the country.
