Ordnance Factory Tiruchirappalli

Ordnance Factory Tiruchirappalli

Type	Government
Industry	Defence
Founded	Tiruchirappalli, India (1966)
Headquarters	Kolkata, India
Key people	K. Appa Rao, IOFS (General Manager)
Products	Small arms
Number of employees	~3000
Parent	Ordnance Factories Board
Website	www.oftdr.com

Ordnance Factory Tiruchirappalli (OFT) (Hindi: आयुध निर्माणी तिरुचिराप्पल्लि), also called Ordnance Factory Trichy is a defence company based in Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, functioning under the Ordnance Factories Board of the Ministry of Defence, Government of India.^[1] The company is headed only by an IOFS officer called General Manager (ex officio Additional Secretary to Government of India) who is the Chief Executive Officer responsible for the overall management of the company and is the main judicial authority.^[2] OFT is the largest small arms manufacturing company of India and has the most varied range.

History

It was inaugurated on 3 July 1966 by the then Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi,^[3] and production began in 1967. It was established to increase the small arms production in the country assisting the Rifle Factory Ishapore and Small Arms Factory, Kanpur. The need was felt after the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965.

Products

OFT started its production with 9 mm carbines and now manufactures arms ranging from 5.56 mm rifles to high caliber shell launchers, grenade launchers, aviation armament, naval armament, tank armament, anti-aircraft guns, autocannons, automatic rifles, sniper rifles.^[4]

• IOF .315 sporting rifle - A civilian version of the British Lee–Enfield rifle, chambered in the 8×50mmR Mannlicher cartridge, rather than the .303 British cartridge.^[5]
• INSAS rifle - The INSAS (Indian Small Arms System) 5.56 mm assault rifle is the standard-issue rifle of the Indian Army. At least 300,000 of these weapons have been sold to the Indian Army.^[6]
• 7.62 mm 1A1 rifle - License produced variant of the British L1A1 self-loading rifle. It was the standard-issue rifle of the Indian Army and has been replaced by the INSAS.^[7][8]
• 7.62 mm PKT gun - Indian license produced variant of PKT machine gun mounted on main battle tanks such as Arjun, Ajeya, Bhishma of the Indian Army.^[9]
• 7.62 mm Trichy assault rifle - An AK-47 rifle developed by Ordnance Factory Trichy. Undergoing user trials.^[10][11][12]
• 12.7 mm air defence gun - An anti-aircraft autocannon, manufactured by OFT which can be mounted on helicopters.^[13][14]
• 14.5 mm sub caliber device - A training weapon for the crew of T-72 tank for 125 mm gun, in range practice against standard targets, using 14.5 mm armour piercing incendiary tracer bullet with steel case.^[15][16]
• 14.5 mm FAT gun^[17]
• Vidhwansak anti material rifle - An anti-materiel sniper rifle developed by OFT. In use with the Border Security Force. The Vidhwansak can be easily changed between three calibers (12.7 mm, 14.5 mm and 20 mm) by replacing the barrel, bolt, magazine and scope without any specialized tools.^{[18][19][20][21][22][23]}
• Ghasha 23 mm aviation gun - An autocannon, for use onboard aircraft. The Ghasha is the gun used on the Tejas.^[24]
• 30 mm automatic cannon 2A42 - Installed in a two-person turret on the Sarath mechanised infantry combat vehicle (ICV), main battle tanks and ships.^[13]
• 30 mm auto grenade launcher - provides better mobility, longer range, increased rate of fire and better accuracy during firing. Significantly lighter than its previous version but far more advanced and powerful, it can engage targets at over 2000m. Recoil is lessened.^[25]
• 38 mm multi-shell launcher (UGRA) - used to launch tear gas shells for riot control.^[26][27][28]
• ARDE 40 mm under barrel grenade launcher - An under-barrel grenade launcher, developed by ARDE and OFT for use with INSAS rifles. It is also compatible with the AK-47s in service with the Indian Army.^[29]
• Milkor MGL 40 mm multi grenade launcher - A variety of rounds such as HE, HEAT, anti-riot baton, irritant, and pyrotechnic can be loaded and fired as fast as the trigger can be pulled; the cylinder can be loaded or unloaded rapidly to maintain a high rate of fire.

New products

• Modern Sub Machine Carbine - Lightweight assault rifle, designed to replace the INSAS.
• Multi Caliber Individual Weapon System - Multi-caliber assault rifle under development.

Products

INSAS Rifle  30 mm Auto Grenade Launcher  40 mm Multi Grenade Launcher  INSAS Rifle with newly adapted black furniture  Arjun is armed with a 12.7 mm anti-aircraft machine gun and a 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun.[30]  Ajeya of the Indian Army has 7.62 mm PKT coaxial machine gun, 12.7 mm NSVT anti aircraft machine gun.  Bhishma NSV has secondary armaments like the 12.7 mm AA machine gun and PKT 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun.  Sarath uses 30 mm Cannon and 7.62 mm PKT Gun  INSAS Light Machine Gun  Tejas uses armaments such as 23 mm Ghasha Aviation Gun  Modern Sub Machine Carbine

Technology

OFT currently manufactures some products under license from the foreign companies that produce them. It is working closely with the Armament Research and Development Establishment^[31] and other laboratories and establishments of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to indigenise the weapons. It is also working with the companies to develop new products that would be jointly engineered.

Customers

OFT mainly manufactures weapons for the

• Indian Armed Forces
• Central Armed Police Forces
• State Armed Police Forces
• Paramilitary Forces of India^[32]
• Special Forces of India.^[33]
• OFT also manufactures weapons for civilians in India.

Weapons manufactured by OFT such as the INSAS rifles have been exported to several countries.^[34][35]

References

1. "Indian Ordnance Factories: About Us". Retrieved 25 October 2014.
2. "Indian Ordnance Factories: Ordnance Factory Tiruchirapalli". Retrieved 25 October 2014.
3. "Indian Ordnance Factories: Ordnance Factory Tiruchirapalli". Retrieved 25 October 2014.
4. OFT develops Gen-X weapons
5. "315" Sporting Rifle". Retrieved 25 October 2014.
6. "Press Information Bureau English Releases". Retrieved 25 October 2014.
7. "OFB 7.62 mm 1A1 and 1C rifles (India) - Jane's Infantry Weapons". Retrieved 25 October 2014.
8. "Rifle 7.62 mm 1A1". Retrieved 25 October 2014.
9. "7.62 mm PKT tank machine gun (Serbia and Montenegro) - Jane's Infantry Weapons". Retrieved 25 October 2014.
10. "Indian Tiruchi Ordnance Factory Develops New Assault Rifle Like AK-47 ~ ASIAN DEFENSE". Retrieved 25 October 2014.
11. "Indian 'AK-47' too fast for its own good - Times Of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
12. Tiruchi ordnance factory develops new assault rifle - SP's MAI
13. The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Tiruchi News : Small, modern, antique weapons on display
14. "12.7 mm AIR DEFENCE GUN". Retrieved 25 October 2014.
15. "Ordnance Factory Board". Retrieved 25 October 2014.
16. "OFT develops Gen-X weapons". news.oneindia.in. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
17. "Ordnance Factory Board". Retrieved 25 October 2014.
18. "Ordnance Factory Board". Retrieved 25 October 2014.
19. "BSF IG satisfied of AMR produced at OFT". news.oneindia.in. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
20. "The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Tiruchi News : Anti-material rifle handed over to BSF". The Hindu. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
21. "The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Tiruchi News : Ordnance Factories Day celebrated in Tiruchi". The Hindu. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
22. The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Nation
23. "The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Tiruchi News : Exhibiting the `powers' that protect us". The Hindu. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
24. "Ghasha 23 mm aviation gun (India) - Jane's Air-Launched Weapons". Retrieved 25 October 2014.
25. "The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Tiruchi News : Visitors awed by arms on display at OFT". The Hindu. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
26. "The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Tiruchi News : OFT develops multi shell launcher for riot control". Retrieved 25 October 2014.
27. "OFT develops ultra-modern futuristic weapons". news.oneindia.in. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
28. "Tiruchi ordnance factory develops new assault rifle - Times Of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
29. "Under Barrel Grenade Launcher 40 mm". Retrieved 25 October 2014.
30. Main Battle Tank, Arjun, Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO), Ministry of Defense, India
31. "DRDO". Retrieved 25 October 2014.
32. "Big match debut for sniper rifles that penetrate concrete - Indian Express". Retrieved 25 October 2014.
33. "Post 26/11, India turns to Russia for small weapons". Zee News. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
34. "Indian Ordnance Factories: Customers". Retrieved 25 October 2014.
35. Pratim Ranjan Bose. "We're making Ordnance factories future ready, says OFB Chairman Dimri". The Hindu Business Line. Retrieved 25 October 2014.