Posted on 01/04/2011 4:46:55 AM PST by sukhoi-30mki
G6 Renoster: Twisting in the Wind
NEWTOWN, Conn. - The G6 Renoster has seen no new sales since Denel completed the export order for Oman in 1999. Production for the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) is complete; modernization and retrofit of the 43 systems in SANDF service are ongoing.
Despite ongoing development (including the T6 turret and associated 155mm ammunition) and an aggressive international marketing campaign, Denel is facing a lack of sales prospects for the G6 Renoster. In addition to an increasingly wide array of comparable offerings on the international market, Denel's legal problems with India's Ministry of Defence have all but killed what the South African contractor considered its best chance for new export sales of the G6 Renoster.
In December 2005, Indian Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee revealed that India's Ministry of Defence had issued a Request for Information (RFI) regarding all wheeled 155mm/52-caliber self-propelled artillery systems currently available on the international market. Indian artillery officials complained that Denel (as sole-source contractor) had elevated the unit price of each G6 Renoster to about $5.5 million, about $1.78 million above the weapon system's usual unit price.
Further complicating matters were Indian allegations of corruption on the part of Denel. In May 2005, the Indian defense minister suspended all negotiations and business with Denel, pending an investigation by the Indian Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The suspension order and investigation left Denel's participation in the Indian Army's 155mm self-propelled howitzer program twisting in the wind.
Without an Indian procurement contract, the next best sales prospect would have been Saudi Arabia. However, it is unlikely that Saudi Arabia will actually procure the G6.
In July 2006, (then) Giat Industries secured an export contract of undisclosed value for production of 76 CAESAR artillery systems. While the contractor did not publicly identify what country had placed the order, open-source reporting indicates the Saudi Arabian National Guard is the customer, having placed an order for 80 CAESAR systems. With SANG procurement of the CAESAR, prospects for G6 Renoster sales to Saudi Arabia have become even more remote.
Denel has no firm commitments for export sales of the G6 or the T6 turret at this time. Without a major export sale, the G6 Renoster production line will likely be limited to the production of components and spares in support of ongoing modernization and retrofit.
Source: Forecast International Weapons Group
Associated URL: forecastinternational.com
Source Date: January 3, 2011
Author: D. Lockwood, Weapons Systems Analyst
Posted: 01/03/2011
A $5.5 million howitzer? Maybe that’s why no one is buying the thing.
If I had to drive one I would christen it “Bush Pig”....It reminds me of a warthog.
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