Gayane Abrahamyan, a former lawmaker, has steered that Russia may be exerting strain on Iran to impede the cargo. The repetition of this declare by varied sources highlights considerations about how geopolitical maneuvers might be influencing the modernization of the Armenian army forces.
Regardless of the widespread dissemination of Abrahamyan’s hypothesis, it has not but been validated. When requested for feedback in February 2024, Iran’s ambassador to Armenia, Mehdi Sobhani, averted making a direct assertion. As an alternative, he emphasised Iran’s dedication to a stronger Armenia and the significance of sustaining a balanced distribution of energy inside the area for sustained peace. This means a probable inclination to assist Armenia’s army growth, though it doesn’t immediately handle the difficulty of the Indian provide.
The state of affairs appears to be additional sophisticated by analyst Tatul Hakobyan, who asserted {that a} Russian firm initially agreed to provide Pinaka launch autos [which may have been part of India’s shipment] however later withdrew. Iran is then alleged to have stepped in. Regardless of these complicated circumstances, India’s dedication to honor its arms settlement with Armenia seems to be steadfast, as ongoing weapon deliveries are being reported.
Modernization effort
Armenia’s protection forces are present process a big transformation, significantly inside their artillery divisions. This alteration is critical as a result of potential lack of tons of of artillery weapons within the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh battle. To rejuvenate and modernize its ageing Soviet-era artillery, Armenia is planning to partially exchange its outdated property with India’s indigenous howitzers; primarily, the Superior Towed Artillery Gun System [ATAGS] and the Multi-terrain Artillery Gun [MArG] 155mm / 39 cal – BR.
Traditionally, Armenia’s protection relied closely on Soviet and Russian-made towed D-20 and D-30 howitzers and self-propelled Akatsiya and Gvozdika variations. Nonetheless, estimates recommend Armenia may need misplaced as much as 279 such artillery items throughout the 2020 battle, thus creating an pressing want for an improve. The ATAGS is seen as a contemporary answer. Designed to succeed the FH77B howitzers of Sweden, beforehand utilized by India, ATAGS presents a up to date various to the standard towed artillery gun system.
The MArG is a novel asset providing particular advantages to Armenia. Mounted on a 4×4 wheeled chassis, the MArG shows unbeatable maneuverability – very important for navigating Armenia’s difficult mountainous terrains. This benefit is often unavailable with typical towed artillery weapons. Regardless of the Indian Army’s intention to acquire 307 ATAGS items, Armenia is presently the one introduced buyer for this artillery gun system. In 2023, Armenia made a big funding in its artillery capabilities by reportedly signing offers to accumulate 72 MArG items and 84 ATAGS items.
ATAGS
The Superior Towed Artillery Gun System [ATAGS] is a state-of-the-art, totally automated 155mm/52 caliber howitzer, developed by the Defence Analysis and Improvement Organisation [DRDO] of India. It’s a towed artillery piece, designed for speedy deployment and excessive mobility in varied sorts of terrain.
The ATAGS boasts spectacular dimensions, with a size of about 12 meters, a width of two.8 meters, and a peak of three.2 meters. It weighs roughly 12 tons, making it one of many heaviest artillery weapons in its class. Regardless of its dimension and weight, the ATAGS is designed to be simply maneuverable.
Technically, the ATAGS is supplied with a sophisticated computerized gun alignment and positioning system, a high-tech communication system, and a navigation system based mostly on the World Positioning System [GPS]. It additionally options an computerized ammunition dealing with system, which reduces the guide intervention required to load and unload the ammunition.
ATAGS’ armament
The primary armament of the ATAGS is its 155mm/52 caliber gun, which may hearth quite a lot of ammunition varieties. It has a six-round journal for speedy hearth and might hearth three rounds in simply 15 seconds. The gun is able to each direct and oblique hearth, making it versatile on the battlefield.
The operational vary of the ATAGS is one other of its standout options. It has a most firing vary of roughly 40 kilometers with commonplace ammunition and as much as 48 kilometers when utilizing extended-range ammunition. This long-range, mixed with its superior concentrating on and navigation programs, makes the ATAGS a formidable weapon in trendy warfare.
MArG
The Indian howitzer MArG, an acronym for ‘Mountain Artillery Gun’, is a light-weight, towed artillery piece designed for swift deployment in tough terrains. It’s a product of the Indian protection business, developed by the Defence Analysis and Improvement Organisation [DRDO].
The MArG is a 155mm/39 caliber gun, with a size of roughly 6 meters and a weight of round 4.8 tons. This makes it lighter and extra compact than many typical artillery items, permitting for simpler transportation and deployment within the difficult environments of mountainous areas.
The technical traits of the MArG are spectacular, boasting a excessive price of fireside of about 3 rounds per minute. It’s designed to be extremely cell, with a towing velocity of as much as 50 km/h on roads and 25 km/h off-road. The gun will be deployed in lower than 3 minutes and will be packed up for motion in the identical period of time.
The MArG is supplied with a contemporary Fireplace Management System [FCS] that features a ballistic laptop, a navigation system, and a meteorological sensor. This superior FCS permits for correct concentrating on and environment friendly use of ammunition. The gun additionally incorporates a recoil mechanism that reduces the affect of firing, making certain stability and longevity.
MArG’s armament
The armament of the MArG consists of 155mm shells, that are commonplace for NATO forces and plenty of different militaries world wide. This permits for a variety of ammunition varieties for use, together with excessive explosive, smoke, illumination, and precision-guided munitions.
The operational vary of the MArG is notable, with a most firing vary of as much as 24.7 kilometers utilizing commonplace ammunition, and as much as 30 kilometers when utilizing rocket-assisted projectiles. This long-range, mixed with its excessive mobility and fast deployment, makes the MArG a formidable asset in mountain warfare.
Armenia’s transfer to include the ATAGS and MArG, that are cutting-edge programs developed in India, denotes a big leap of their army modernization efforts. These state-of-the-art programs promise superior firepower, elevated mobility, and doubtlessly enhanced hearth management, thus superseding Armenia’s conventional artillery programs. As Armenia commences the operation of those new artillery items, a considerable enhance of their artillery prowess is sort of sure.
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