Indian army receives three Dhanush howitzers

BHOPAL, India, July 18 (UPI) -- The Indian army has taken possession of three new, indigenously developed 155 mm Dhanush howitzers, the Press Trust of India reported Monday.

The guns were handed over by the Gun Carriage Factory defense company, PTI reports.

India will now begin user trials of the weapons, the factory's general manager, Sanjay Shrivastava, was quoted as saying in the PTI report.

"Another consignment of three guns is being readied and these howitzers too will be delivered to the army shortly," he said.

The towed howitzer features a strike range of about 22 miles and was developed by the Ordnance Factory Board.

The army called for the six howitzers following successful summer and winter trials, PTI reports.

Those trials involved about 2,000 rounds being fired successfully in different climatic conditions.

India's army has been seeking a total of 114 Dhanush guns to augment its firepower, Shrivastava said.

Last week, India's Defense Research and Development Organization announced a successful proof firing of a 155mm, .52 caliber Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System.