IDEX 2025: India’s Kalyani brings latest 155mm gun to Abu Dhabi
Kalyani’s MArG 45 is based on an all-terrain chassis and fitted with a 155mm/45-calibre ordnance. The system on show at IDEX is viewed from the rear in a deployed configuration. (Photo: Matthew Smith)
The MArG 45 wheeled self-propelled artillery system has made it debut at IDEX 2025 but has yet to enter production.
The trend for deploying wheeled self-propelled (SP) artillery systems rather than tracked systems has been on show at IDEX in Abu Dhabi this year, as emphasised by India’s Kalyani Strategic Systems presenting one of its latest artillery weapons, the MArG 45.
The 155mm/45-calibre system, based on a 4x4 cross-country chassis, has a gross weight of 23.5 tonnes which includes 18 rounds of 155mm ammunition and crew.
The crew are seated in a four-door protected cab at the front of the system which has also been fitted with a winch for self-recovery use. Traverse is 25 degrees left and right while elevation is from -2 to +72 degrees.
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For increase battlefield survivability it has an into-action time of one and half minutes in day light and two minutes at night.
Shephard sources indicated the example at the Abu Dhabi exhibition as being the first version of the vehicle which has yet to enter production.
It is among a number of mobile artillery systems being marketed by the company with others including a 155mm/39-calibre system on a lighter 4×4 chassis and the Mounted Gun System 155mm/52 cal on an 8×8 high-mobility platform with protected forward controlled cab.
The latter features all electric elevation and traverse, rather than hydraulic and an automatic ammunition handling system, for a higher rate of fire and reduced crew fatigue. The company claimed a maximum rate of fire with standard ammunition of more than 45km.
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