<p>The defence ministry on Friday approved the purchase of 13 high-calibre guns from the BAE System at a cost of Rs 3,053 crore for the naval warships that are under construction in various dockyards.</p>.<p>The 127 mm calibre guns will be fitted on-board new destroyers and frigates for naval gunfire support operations to undertake surface engagements.</p>.<p>The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) chaired by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman approved the purchase of these guns — a long-pending proposal from the Navy.</p>.<p>The weapons have a normal range of 24 km, which can be extended further by using special extended range gun munitions.</p>.<p>“These guns would be procured from BAE Systems of the USA under the (Defence Procurement Procedure) category of Buy (Global) at a cost of over Rs 3,000 crore,” the defence ministry said in a statement.</p>.<p>The apex acquisition council also cleared purchase of Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO) anti-tank Nag missile system for the Army at a cost of Rs 524 crore.</p>.<p>The system includes Nag anti-tank guided missile, along with its missile carrier vehicle.</p>.<p>Named after former scientific advisor to the DRDO, B D Nagchaudhuri, the homegrown weapon is a third generation anti-tank guided missile with top attack capabilities to effectively engage and destroy all known types of tanks during day and night.</p>.<p>Acquisition of Nag missile system, claims the defence ministry statement, would boost Army’s capability against enemy armour.</p>.<p>In February 2018, the DRDO claimed it completed the development trials of the indigenous missile with the successful targeting of two tanks in the Rajasthan desert. Development of Nag — one of the missiles under A P J Abdul Kalam’s integrated guided missile programme — began in the 1980s and took three decades to complete the development phase.</p>.<p>The DAC also reviewed the progress of the DRDO programme to develop indigenous Airborne Warning and Control System.</p>
<p>The defence ministry on Friday approved the purchase of 13 high-calibre guns from the BAE System at a cost of Rs 3,053 crore for the naval warships that are under construction in various dockyards.</p>.<p>The 127 mm calibre guns will be fitted on-board new destroyers and frigates for naval gunfire support operations to undertake surface engagements.</p>.<p>The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) chaired by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman approved the purchase of these guns — a long-pending proposal from the Navy.</p>.<p>The weapons have a normal range of 24 km, which can be extended further by using special extended range gun munitions.</p>.<p>“These guns would be procured from BAE Systems of the USA under the (Defence Procurement Procedure) category of Buy (Global) at a cost of over Rs 3,000 crore,” the defence ministry said in a statement.</p>.<p>The apex acquisition council also cleared purchase of Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO) anti-tank Nag missile system for the Army at a cost of Rs 524 crore.</p>.<p>The system includes Nag anti-tank guided missile, along with its missile carrier vehicle.</p>.<p>Named after former scientific advisor to the DRDO, B D Nagchaudhuri, the homegrown weapon is a third generation anti-tank guided missile with top attack capabilities to effectively engage and destroy all known types of tanks during day and night.</p>.<p>Acquisition of Nag missile system, claims the defence ministry statement, would boost Army’s capability against enemy armour.</p>.<p>In February 2018, the DRDO claimed it completed the development trials of the indigenous missile with the successful targeting of two tanks in the Rajasthan desert. Development of Nag — one of the missiles under A P J Abdul Kalam’s integrated guided missile programme — began in the 1980s and took three decades to complete the development phase.</p>.<p>The DAC also reviewed the progress of the DRDO programme to develop indigenous Airborne Warning and Control System.</p>
