SECURITY SCAN : Nov 28, 2019

MK 45 NAVAL GUN

•The US state department has recently approved sale of Naval guns and related equipment worth 1 billion US dollars to India.

•This includes 13 MK 455 inch / 62 calibre naval guns and 3500 D349 projectile ammunition manufactured by BAE Systems Land and Armament.

• The MK45 is a fully automatic naval gun system designed for use against surface warships, anti-aircraft and shore bombardment to support amphibious operations.

•It provides naval surface support range of approximately 36 kms.

•MK 45 Naval gun- 127 mm in measurement. From 13 of them 11 are for our ships(1 for each ship). 2 which are left are for operational training(1) and for maintenance training(1).

•In second world war, the German’s had battle ship called ‘Bismarck’.

• Bismarck was fastest ship that ever sailed the sea. This had 815 inch guns with 380 mm diameter.

• The guns in the ships were going out, but today the guns have radar, fire control, better sensors and much more.

• India have Barak 8 in many ships, that is long range air to surface missile. Before this we had ‘Barack 1’, ‘Brahmos’ and ‘Cruise missiles’.

•Best gun considered in world is considered to be ‘Automiler’ 127 mm which we were going to contract but the company came under scan so we moved towards US.

•A gun remains very important to any warship, a warship is to be armed. A gun remains very important to any worship for it can be used as anti-surface warfare, sub- conventional scenario and to stop faster aircraft approaching.

•127 mm gun is ideal for primary level gunfire support.

Missile v/s gun.

-A missile is a weapon meant for particular purpose as of a gun.

-They aren’t replaceable.

2-Gun has distinct role to play- used to fight with enemy which is closer more in your proximity.

▪ Why these guns were not indigenize? --To get this technology, the country should have capacity to observe this.

-L1 syndrome of Indian defence programme.

• Transfer of Technology and L1 cannot go together. So, India is happy with L1.