NEW DELHI: The Indian Army’s Artillery arm played a major role in hitting terror targets in Pakistan and PoK under the Operation Sindoor jointly executed by the Air Force and the Army.
Of the nine terror targets, seven were destroyed by the Army, sources involved in the operation said. “The Artillery guns were put to a precise and optimal use in destroying the seven identified terrorist camps in the PoK,” a source said.
“The Army had deployed Bofors, M777 and Soltam guns for maximum effect and every target was pulverised the way we had planned,” added the source. Another source said, “The ongoing modernisation, including the induction of drones, new ammunition and the guns improved indigenously, added to our target destruction”.
The drones were initially deployed for surveillance and then they were serving as the additional eyes for gun position officers who directed the guns for precision strike. “The result was as per expectations,” sources said.
Along with the Indian Army’s Air Defence, the artillery carried out the maximum destruction of all the seven terrorist camps which were within a band of 6 to 16 km from the Line of Control. The precision strike also involved the use of Excalibur artillery ammunition inducted in 2019. This ammunition is capable of hitting the targets up to 50 km range.
Artillery is one of the oldest arms which was raised on September 28, 1827. The Army aims to transform artillery from being the “arm of influence” to the “arm of decision’. A major modernisation plan continues which will change the profile of the arm, sources said.
As reported by this newspaper, the Indian Army has taken several steps to counter the supply chain issues caused by ongoing global conflicts while carrying out the ‘mediumisation’ of guns.