Sunday, November 6 2005 11:38 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Army has barred South African artillery major Denel from fresh trials for the acquisition of the upgraded 155MM artillery guns slated for early next year.

Two major companies Swedish SWS and Israeli Soltam have been called for an unprecedented fourth trial to be held in Leh in Jammu and Kashmir in February to test the guns in winter conditions and in Pokhran in June, according to army sources here.

Denel, which is being investigated by CBI for alleged payoffs in supply of Anti-Material Rifle deal, had participated in the three rounds of trials held in 2002 and 2003 under the erstwhile National Democratic Alliance (NDA) regime in which, according to army evaluation reports, the Swedish Bofors guns outperformed the South African and Israeli guns.

Apparently wary of controversy in the wake of the Bofors experience, the Defence Ministry has told the army to come out with clear-cut recommendations on the evaluation of the guns and the army has pushed for fresh validation.

Though the Swedish company has conveyed its readiness to participate in the new trials, a question mark still looms over the participation of Israeli company Soltam. In the last round of trials held in Sikkim, the Soltam gun's turret broke down and the trials remained incomplete.

As part of its modernisation programme, the army is seeking to induct 400 155MM guns of .52 calibre. Top army commanders at a recent conference held here had expressed serious concern over the undue delay in acquiring these guns.