Punj Lloyd set to upgrade Soviet-era guns in ₹670-cr deal

Hindustan Times | Aug 11, 2016

The government is in the final stages of awarding a ₹670-crore contract to Punj Lloyd for upgrading the army's ageing Zu-23-2B anti-aircraft guns, capable of engaging both aerial and ground targets. Ashok Wadhawan, who heads manufacturing for Punj Lloyd, told HT that the deal was on the verge of being signed and the guns would be upgraded over a period of four years.

The government is in the final stages of awarding a ₹670-crore contract to Punj Lloyd for upgrading the army’s ageing Zu-23-2B anti-aircraft guns, capable of engaging both aerial and ground targets.

The firm has partnered with Slovakian defence company EVPU to convert the mechanical Soviet-era gun, developed in the late 1950s, into an automatic. The plan is to upgrade 468 guns.

Ashok Wadhawan, who heads manufacturing for Punj Lloyd, told HT that the deal was on the verge of being signed and the guns would be upgraded over a period of four years. The contract covers maintenance of the guns for 15 years. “The contract is not a big one, but it will help us build capabilities at our Malanpur plant in Madhya Pradesh,” he said.

Punj Lloyd emerged the lowest bidder for the contract last year, beating off competition from state-run Bharat Electronics Ltd.

Larsen and Toubro, Tata Power SED and Alpha Design Technology, had also competed for the order, but were out of the competition in the early stage.

The existing guns will be upgraded with an electro-optical fire control system for detecting, tracking and engaging targets with precision. The modified guns would have all-weather day/night capability.

The firm is also competing for a ₹1,500-crore contract to upgrade the army’s vintage 130mm M-46 artillery guns to 155mm standard. “The upgradation will increase the gun’s range and its ability to deliver heavier explosives. The upgrade should have happened by now,” said former army chief General Deepak Kapoor, an artillery officer.

Punj Lloyd has partnered with Serbian firm Yugo Import for the programme.

The 130 mm gun has a range of 27 km. The upgrade will increase its range by 34%, enhance its terminal effectiveness by 260% and enlarge the lethal area by 330%.

Strategic affairs expert Brigadier Gurmeet Kanwal (retd) said the army’s air defence capabilities needed to be scaled up swiftly and the L-70/Zu-23-2B replacement programme was crucial.