New Delhi -- ST Kinetics today said that it will be fielding the world's first and longest in-service 155 mm 52 Calibre towed Howitzer, the FH 2000, in field trials next month. The company is hopeful that the stalled trial of the 155 mm calibre 39 Pegasus Lightweight Howitzer (LWH) will also recommence very shortly.

ST Kinetics is a subsidiary of the ST Engineering in which the Singapore Government has a stake of 51 per cent through Temasek Holdings. ST Engineering, with a turnover of US$3.8 billion in 2008, has a workforce of over 20,000 employees, and global operations in Aerospace, Electronics, Land Systems and Marine.

ST Kinetics plans to address India's strategic needs and is fielding tailored solutions to meet the requirements of the modernisation programmes of the armed forces. These include the iFH2000 155mm 52 Calibre Howitzer for the Towed Gun requirement and the Pegasus 155mm 39 Calibre Lightweight Howitzer for the Ultra Lightweight Howitzer program. ST Kinetics has also offered the SAR 21 Carbine with its proven reliability and performance.

Speaking at the Press Conference, Brig Gen Patrick Choy, Chief Marketing Officer, said "ST Kinetics has a 40 year lineage in defence and over a billion dollars in revenue earned from being a market leader in many areas. For example, we are a leading 40mm grenade solutions provider and manufacturer of other class leading defence products. We are a much accoladed company, recognised with many awards for our innovation in defence technologies including those for the Pegasus, Trailblazer, Bronco, SAR 21, 40mm Air Bursting Munitions. We have a strong Engineering background and a large number of IPs. The company is respected for its integrity, transparency and high standards of corporate governance.

"We are ideal partners for the modernisation programs of the Indian armed forces. ST Kinetics' 155mm 52 Calibre Howitzer is the first to be fielded in the world. Our head-start in the development of the whole family of 155mm Howitzers has given us certain advantages in the design and development of a towed gun that could meet the Indian Army's total fire power needs. ST Kinetics believes our system is superior in many ways and it would prove itself during the field trials. The strongest credential for the FH 2000 is its long years in service, having been inducted in regular service as far back as 1993," he said.

He further said, "The Lightweight Howitzer Pegasus is a highly operable and portable system that meets the Indian Army's total battlefield needs. The ST Kinetics engineering team has also ingeniously retained the flexibility for the Indian Army to retrofit it into self propelled lightweight 155mm Howitzer system that could operate in the plains. Pegasus is deemed to be superior in its class with its unique self propelled capability, flexible configuration and lower crew fatigue due to powered handling. The gun is already in India in Gwalior and is awaiting a call to trials."

ST Kinetics has been designing and developing Howitzers for the last 30 years, including the FH 88, a 155mm Calibre 39 towed Howitzer, the FH 2000 155mm 52 Calibre Self Propelled Howitzer, the Pegasus Lightweight Self Propelled Howitzer and the Primus 155mm tracked Self Propelled Howitzer. ST Kinetics will continue to develop capabilities in artillery systems.

ST Kinetics is also offering innovative and customised engineering solutions including dual use systems such as the Bronco All Terrain Tracked Carrier for frontline defence and disaster relief applications. With its all terrain capability, the Bronco would be an excellent protected mobility solution in view of India's vast and diverse terrains.

ST Kinetics
16.01.2010