Chief Minister of Gujarat, Vijay Rupani flagged-off the 91st K9 VAJRA-T Gun from L&T’s Armoured System Complex (ASC). Maintaining the track record of ahead-of-time deliveries in this Ministry of Defence (MoD) programme, the 91st Gun was also dispatched ahead of contractual delivery date – a testimony to the capabilities and complex system integration skills, planning prowess and execution efficiency of L&T.

L&T Defence is currently producing the ‘K9 VAJRA-T’ 155mm/52 calibre Tracked, Self-Propelled Howitzer Guns under the largest contract awarded to an Indian Private Company by the Ministry of Defence. On this occasion, J.D. Patil, Wholetime Director & Senior Executive Vice President (Defence & Smart Technologies), L&T, said.

“With the delivery of 91st Vajra Howitzer, we have created an Industry benchmark by once again delivering the only inservice, 155mm/52 calibre Artillery Gun, ahead of schedule. We hope and believe that under the Atmanirbhar Bharat policies of the Central Government.

The ‘K9 VAJRA-T’ systems are being delivered with more than 80% indigenous work packages and above 50% indigenisation (by value) at the Program level. This involves local production of over 13,000 types of components per gun system through a supply chain of about 1000 industrial partners, mostly MSMEs, with about 150 of them being from the state of Gujarat.

L&T targeted and took sustained efforts and innovated by indigenising ‘K9 VAJRA-T’, right from the first prototype developed for user evaluation trials by utilising basic K9 Thunder from the South Korean Partner Hanwha Systems and indigenously developing and producing fourteen critical systems, including the Fire Control System, Direct Fire System, Ammunition Handling System and other environment control and safety systems to suit Indian operating conditions and requirements.