Insas rifles, light machine guns, Howitzer guns and integrated observation vehicle made their way into the heart of Jamshedpur on Thursday. No, not for a battle but as main attractions of an exhibition organised by the army.
The 891 Field Regiment in association with Poorva Sainik Seva Parishad displayed an exciting collection of artillery and weapons at the Sonari army camp for the city to know the Indian Army better.
School students from DAV Public School, Bistupur, Kerala Public School, Burmamines and Agrico took a peek into the weapons and electronics and telecommunication equipment used by the force.
The two-day exhibition will conclude on Friday.
Narayan Sharma, a Class IX student of People's Academy, had till date seen warfare equipment only on television. So, when he got the chance to see, touch and feel the weapons, the 15-year-old frantically jotted down some details in a small notebook only to tell his friends in school later.
"Cameras and mobile phones were not allowed inside the camp. So, I had to jot down the points. I always wanted to join the army and this fascinates me. This is so beautiful. I would love to be a part of this someday. I liked the LORROS (low-range reconnaissance and observation system) that is imported from Israel and is used for long hour surveillance. I also came to know this came to India in 2002," said a super excited Narayan.
Among the wide range of display was the recce or reconnaissance vehicle that is used to gather information outside friendly areas. The three-seater vehicle has facilities like ammunition box, medium-range gun, radio and self-recovery tools.
"Such camouflaged vehicles are used before a troupe moves in an unknown enemy area. The vehicle can follow movements and communicate through radio signals," said Subedar Vikram Singh.
Major Hridesh Singh explained the integrated observation vehicle, which is stationed at the Artillery Observation Post. It facilitates surveillance, including live video footage up to a range of 20km, fixing targets for accurate firing under all weather conditions.
In the large equipment section, the students and visitors saw 130mm M-46 Russian field gun and 122mm D-30 Howitzer.
"We organise such events to motivate youngsters to join the Indian Army and also encourage the common man to know more about the force," said Varun Kumar, a member of Poorva Sainik Seva Parishad.
