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

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 rocket launchers, 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 It was the standard-issue rifle of the Indian Army and has been replaced by the INSAS.^[7][8]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]
• 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.

Products

5.56 mm INSAS Rifle  IOF .315 sporting rifle  7.62 mm Trichy Assault Rifle (TAR)  40 mm Multi Grenade Launcher  30 mm Auto Grenade Launcher  38 mm Multi Shell launcher (UGRA)  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 a 7.62 mm PKT coaxial machine gun and 12.7 mm anti-aircraft machine gun  Bhishma 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  Tejas uses armaments such as 23 mm Ghasha Aviation Gun  CRN-91, the naval variant of 30 mm 2A42 Cannon is the main gun of most Indian patrolling vessels  7.62 mm 1A1 Rifle  Vidhwansak Anti-material Sniper Rifle  INSAS with UBGL

New products

• Zittara Multi-purpose Carbine
• Multi Caliber Individual Weapon System
• Pistol Auto 9mm 1A
• IOF .32 Revolver
• 51 mm Mortar
• 81 mm Mortar
• 84 mm Rocket Launcher M4
• Rocket-propelled grenade launcher RPG-7

Zittara Multi-purpose Carbine  Multi Caliber Individual Weapon System  Pistol Auto 9 mm 1A  IOF .32 Revolver  51 mm Mortar  81 mm Mortar  84 mm Rocket Launcher M4  Rocket-propelled grenade launcher RPG-7

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