Indian Army receives its first upgraded Schilka ZSU-23-4 air defense weapon system

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Defence & Security News - India

 
 
Wednesday, November 26, 2014 09:17 AM
 
 Indian Army receives its first upgraded Shilka ZSU-23-4 air defense weapon system
Indian defense and security company Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) announced yesterday, November 25, that it has handed over the first Upgraded Shilka Weapon System to the Indian Army. Lt Gen V K Saxena, AVSM, VSM, Director General, Army Air Defense, received the system from S. K. Sharma, Chairman & Managing Director, BEL, at a function organized at BEL's Bengaluru, India factory.
     
Indian defense and security company Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) announced yesterday, November 25, that it has handed over the first Upgraded Shilka Weapon System to the Indian Army. Lt Gen V K Saxena, AVSM, VSM, Director General, Army Air Defense, received the system from S. K. Sharma, Chairman & Managing Director, BEL, at a function organized at BEL's Bengaluru, India factory. Indian upgraded ZSU-23-4 Shilka air defense weapon system scale model at Defexpo 2012 (India)
     
BEL had received the contract for upgrading Shilka Weapon Systems in March 2011 from the Indian Army after the successful evaluation of the prototype system. The purpose of the upgrade is to extend the life of the air defence system by 15 years. In December 2004, the Indian Army awarded BEL a USD $104 million contract to upgrade 48 of the 90 Indian ZSU-23-4 air defence systems during the first phase.

Shilka Upgrade is all weather, self-propelled, tracked, low-level Air Defense Weapon System. The upgraded systems will feature a solid-state radar and computers, electro-optical fire control systems, a new Caterpillar 359 BHP diesel engine and a new APU. The upgraded systems is able to operate despite enemy jamming, to pick up targets more than 15 km away, and must function in temperatures between 55º Celsius and minus 40º Celsius. The gun is able to shoot down targets flying up to 450 miles per hour up to 1,500 meters and out to 2,500 meters.