India has successfully conducted a proof firing of the armament system for its 155mm, .52 caliber Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System, or ATAGS, the country's Defense Research and Development Organization announced Thursday.
ATAGS is a fully indigenous, towed artillery system initiative that is part of the Indian army's artillery modernization program, the DRDO said in a statement.
The ATAGS armament system will provide the army with a weapon to fire at longer ranges, with greater accuracy and precision.
It is configured with an all-electric drive to ensure a maintenance-free, reliable operation over a longer period of time, DRDO said.
It features a 24-mile firing range and advanced features in the areas of mobility, deployment, auxiliary power, communications and automatic command and control systems.
It also has a night firing capability in direct fire mode.
The gun's development is part of New Dehli's "Make in India" initiative that seeks to bolster home-grown products in a variety of sectors.
DRDO seeks to have the ATAGS ready for user trials by early 2017.
