Trichy: Adding to the 13 types of defence armaments being produced at the Ordnance Factory Tiruchirapalli (OFT), the facility situated in the city outskirts near Gundoor will be producing SRCG (Stabilized Remote Control Gun System) from the ensuing financial year. The SRCG which will be equipped with advanced features such as remote operation and accurate firing system which will be utilized by the armed forces as a weapon station mounted over the vessels of Indian Navy.

Celebrating 218th Ordnance Factories Day on Tuesday, a photo exhibition was arranged at OFT campus narrating the developments since 1966. Shirish Khare, general manager, OFT inaugurated the exhibition and public were also permitted to visit the weapons categorized and displayed as modern small arms, modern weapons, antique weapons, and futuristic weapons. Experts in manufacturing the armaments with OFT explained the public about their working and utility.

Officials said that OFT has taken up Research and Development (R&D) projects of 12.7mm lightweight AMR (Anti Material Rifle), 40mm under barrel grenade launcher (UBGL) for AK47/Trichy assault rifle (TAR), and 30mm automatic grenade launcher (AGS30). “The R&D projects are under various stages of developments. Further OFT will also manufacture 12.7mm SRCG through Transfer of Technology (ToT) from Israel,” an official source with OFT said. Stating that transfer of technology was over, officials added that existing machinery with minor modification can take up the SRCG productions at Trichy.

Official sources maintained that manufacturing of SRCG with the support of Israel will commence from the ensuing financial year before which the OFT workforce will undergo skill development sessions.

It is said that the OFT is manufacturing several indigenous defence armaments including Trichy assault rifle (TAR) to various stakeholders including several paramilitary forces such as border security force (BSF), state police forces, and Indian armed forces. As the production of India’s oldest ordnance factory in Cossipore, Kolkata was started on March 18, 1801, the day is being celebrated as Ordnance factory day. As the final rites of the late former defence minister Manohar Parrikar were held on Monday, the event was postponed by a day.

