Show of might at artillery school

NASHIK: The guns boomed at deafening decibels, the gunners hit the bullseye with enviable precision and their tactical handling of situations and operation and execution of an artillery fire plan were immaculate.
Sarvatra Prahar, the two-day firepower exercise of the School of Artillery, Deolali that came to an end on Tuesday at its firing range, was a show of valour and meticulousness.Apart from a defense delegation from Nepal and Lieutenant-General A K Misra, commandant, School of Artillery, visiting officers of the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, Technical Staff Officers Course, Pune, and officers from the neighbouring sister training institutions in Pune and Ahmednagar and local school children and National Cadet Corps (NCC) members from the city were enthralled to see the demonstation of its armoury. The family members of defence personnel were also among the invitees.
The precision and accuracy of the state-of-the art guns, rocket launchers and maneuvers of the Cheetah and Chetak helicopters, which are a part of Combat Army Aviation Training School, and the daredevil skydivers and paragliders kept everyone present at the venue on the edge of their seats.
The exercise saw an array of equipment —from 120 mm Mortar, 105 mm Indian Field Gun, 105 mm Light Field Gun, 155mm Soltam, 130mm medium gun to the sophisticated 155 mm FH 77B bofors and 122 mm Multi Barrel Rocket launcher GRAD BM 21. The gunners displayed accuracy, consistency and an aw-inspiring power of the artillery by depicting simultaneous engagement of targets by a number of guns.
On the other hand, the Cheetahs and Chetaks demonstrated the flying skills of the pilots at low altitude. The choppers also airlifted a 120-mm mortar and even carried out air-photo missions. Another attraction was an array of new generation rocket and missile system like Pinaka, Smerch and a model of Bramhos missile. Surveillance and target acquisition equipment like unmanned aerial vehicles, surveillance sensors and weapon locating radars were also showcased. These devices, when used with conjunction with the guns, are capable of augmenting the effect of firepower, thereby acting as force multipliers. The School of Artillery enjoys the unique status of an outstanding and unparalleled military institution, the alumni of which have excelled in all actions since World War II, Set up in Kakul (Quetta) in Pakistan in 1918, the institute was shifted to Devlali in 1941 with field and air defence wings.