India bursts its barrel, raising quality questions
The recent bursting of a gun barrel on the 155mm L/52 Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS) during test firing at the Pokhran range has once again exposed weaknesses in government ordnance factories and private industry in terms of metallurgy, machining quality and ammunition.
ER Rajappan, managing director of Shivayu Aerospace, told Shephard. ‘When equipment is tested to full capability, this can happen. If metallurgy is of a better grade of steel, it will withstand full resting pressure...Improvements are part of any equipment process.’
Military expert AK Singh attacked ‘the pathetic record’ of the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO)
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