4637Views
GIDS TIPU 155 mm Guided Artillery Shell
The TIPU is a new precision-guided 155 mm artillery shell developed by DynTek Engineering and marketed by Global Industrial and Defence Solutions (GIDS).
It is unclear if the TIPU represents a commercial push or a domestic endeavour to elevate Pakistan’s artillery capabilities. However, the latter is plausible considering how the Pakistan Army (PA) is increasingly shifting towards using guided rockets for conventional purposes.
TIPU Design Background
Compared to Pakistan’s earlier artillery shell solutions (which are primarily manufactured by Pakistan Ordnance Factories or POF), the TIPU introduces two new attributes:
Firstly, it is a guided munition that can optionally utilize either a semi-active laser-homing (SALH) seeker or satellite-aided (GNSS/GPS) inertial guidance system.
GIDS claims that the SALH option will offer a more precise level of targeting with an accuracy of within 2 m CEP. The satellite version will have a range of within 20 m CEP.
Second, it leverages a solid boosted rocket motor to potentially provide significantly more range than an older artillery shell. However, it should be noted that currently, the TIPU’s overall range advantage over POF’s shells is relatively marginal. The TIPU offers a range of 20 km, whereas POF’s 155 mm shells can reach up to 18 km.
But the TIPU likely forms the basis of a platform, one that DynTek could develop into a family of longer-ranged shells. Therefore, it is possible, if not likely, that DynTek is designing new velocity enhanced artillery projectiles (VLAP) or other designs that can reach 30-40 km in range.
TIPU Shell Specifications
- Length: 1,300 mm
- Weight: 52 kg
- Range: 5-20 km (depends on howitzer caliber)
- Propellant: NATO Standard Charges
- Types of Fuze: Electromechanical
- Modes of Fuze: Impact or Delayed Impact Detonation
- Accuracy:
- Under 2 m CEP with SALH
- Under 20 m CEP with Inertial + GNSS/GPS
- Singleshot Kill Probability: 80%+
- Calibers: 39, 45, 52
- Warhead Options: Dual, High-Explosive Fragmentation, Penetrator
- Target Illumination Range: 1-5 km
Key Capabilities of the TIPU Artillery Shell
Flexible Targeting
GIDS states that the TIPU can be optionally configured with either a SALH or GPS/GNSS-aided INS guidance system. The SALH seeker is likely an option for use against moving vehicles such as tanks, as the more precise accuracy implies. The GNSS/GPS-aided INS option is likely meant for use against fixed targets, such as bunkers, aircraft hangars, and radars, among others.
Extended Range Potential
Though the current variant of the TIPU is only marginally longer-ranged compared to POF’s 155 mm shells, it uses an underlying technology platform. Basically, the TIPU seems to be Pakistan’s first locally manufactured rocket-assisted artillery shell.
The noticeably shorter range of the TIPU compared to foreign V-LAP shells could be a sign of an indigenous rocket stack. An indigenous rocket motor would reflect Pakistan’s inexperience in this space and, in turn, explain why the TIPU does not have the range of a Chinese or Western shell of this nature. However, the TIPU would also signify the start of a homegrown platform, one that could involve longer-ranged variants in the future as Pakistan’s technology platform improves.
