Artillery demonstration held in Nashik

Under "Exercise Topchi", major artillery guns including 120 mm mortar, 105 mm Indian Field Gun, 155 mm Bofors and multi-barrel rocket launchers were wheeled out by the Artillery Regiment here.

Breathtaking display of operational sortie of multi-role Cheetah and Dhruv helicopters left the audience spellbound with army aviators manning these machines in a daredevil display.

The pilots manoeuvred the helicopters at low-altitude negotiating with trees to conceal their movement under "Nape of the Earth" in the operational parlance.

During the 90-minute display, the choppers airlifted 120-mm mortar guns and carried out air photo missions.

The annual event is organised for the visiting officers of Defence Services Staff College, Wellington (Coimbatore), technical staff officers course, Pune and officers from neighbouring sister training institutions in Pune and Ahmednagar, besides a visiting Nepalese Army delegation.

Lieutenant General V K Narula, Commandant of Artillery School and Colonel Commandant, Artillery Regiment, welcomed the guests and special invitees on the occasion.

The high-point of the show was a 'free-fall' demonstration by specially trained paratroopers using high-altitude penetrating parachute system (happs) so as to highlight their capability of carrying out operations behind the enemy lines.

An array of new generation surveillance and target acquisition equipment like the unmanned aerial vehicles and surveillance and weapon locating radars were also displayed on the occasion.

Later, interacting with newspersons, Rajiv Mishra, Chief Instructor, faculty of Gunners said "Our Army is ready to face any eventuality. We have provided training to 17 to 18 neighbouring countries, including Kazakhstan, UK, US, Sri Lanka and Nepal".

He said the light helicopter "Rudra" will be soon introduced in the Army as its procurement is going on at the highest level.