Dhanush (howitzer) vs KS-19: Specs Compared

Dhanush (howitzer) — licensed reference photograph

AArtillery

Dhanush (howitzer)

Howitzer

Credit

Krishna Chaitanya Velaga · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Resized · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source ↗ · Modified

BArtillery

KS-19

Anti-aircraft gun

Credit

Bin im Garten · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Resized · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source ↗ · Modified

First system

Second system

At a glance

Side by side

Dhanush (howitzer)larger figure on 1 of 2

Barrel length+22%

KS-19larger figure on 1 of 2

Crew+114%

Counts only measures both sources give with the same scope. A larger figure is not a better system.

Measured figures

Head to head

19 of 41 rows sourced on both sides

—

9.45m

Length

All recorded figures & sources

9.45 m

Length

Single source

9.45 m (31.0 ft)^[source]

—

2.35m

Width

All recorded figures & sources

2.35 m

Width

Single source

2.35 m (7 ft 9 in)^[source]

—

2.2m

Height

All recorded figures & sources

2.201 m

Height

Single source

2.201 m (7 ft 2.7 in)^[source]

14tL/52

9.6t

Mass

All recorded figures & sources

13,000 kg

(L/45) <

Single source

14,000 kg

L/52

Single source

13 tonnes (13 long tons; 14 short tons)(L/45) <14 tonnes (14 long tons; 15 short tons) (L/52)^[source]

9,550 kg

Mass

Single source

9,550 kg (21,050 lb)^[source]

6–8people

Crew

All recorded figures & sources

6–8 people

Crew

Single source

6-8^[source]

15 people

Crew

Single source

15^[source]

60kmMaximum; for Ramjet Shell

21kmMaximum; horizontal

RangeScopes differ

All recorded figures & sources

60 km

Maximum; for Ramjet Shell

Single source

38 km

Maximum; L/45

Single source

42 km

Maximum; (L/52) >

Single source

38 km (L/45) 42 km (L/52) >60 km (for Ramjet Shell )^[source]

21 km

Maximum; horizontal

Single source

15 km

Maximum; vertical, proximity fuze

Single source

6.98m

5.74m

Barrel length+22%

All recorded figures & sources

6.98 m

Barrel length

Single source

8.06 m

L/45 L/52 (Upgraded)

Single source

6.98 metres (22.9 feet) L/45 8.06 metres (26.4 feet) L/52 (Upgraded)^[source]

5.742 m

Barrel length

Single source

5.742 m (18.84 ft)^[source]

155mmNATO ammunition compatible

100mmCaliber

CalibreScopes differ

All recorded figures & sources

155 mm

NATO ammunition compatible

Single source

155 mm ( NATO ammunition compatible)^[source]

100 mm

Caliber

Single source

100 mm (3.9 in)^[source]

Burst: 3 rounds in 15 sec Intense: 15 rounds in 3 min Sustained: 60 rounds in 60 min

15rpm

Rate of fire

All recorded figures & sources

Burst: 3 rounds in 15 sec Intense: 15 rounds in 3 min Sustained: 60 rounds in 60 min^[source]

15 rounds/min

Rate of fire

Single source

15 rpm^[source]

Bars compare reported quantities only. A larger figure does not make a system better; configurations and test conditions differ.

Configuration

Details

Dhanush (howitzer) and KS-19 configuration
Specification	Dhanush (howitzer)	KS-19
Type	Howitzer^[source]	Anti-aircraft gun^[source]
Place of origin	India^[source]	Soviet Union^[source]
In service	2019 - present^[source]	1948−present^[source]
Used by	Indian Army^[source]	See § Operators^[source]
Wars	2025 India–Pakistan conflict^[source]	Korean War Vietnam War Iran–Iraq War Soviet–Afghan War Gulf War Somali Civil War 2003 invasion of Iraq Russo-Ukrainian War Second Nagorno-Karabakh War^[source]
Designer	Ordnance Factory Board^[source]	L. V. Lyuliev^[source]
Designed	2010 - 2013^[source]	1947^[source]
Manufacturer	Advanced Weapons and Equipment India Limited (previously Ordnance Factory Board )^[source]	Plant No. 4, Perm^[source]
Unit cost	₹ 14 crore (US$1.5 million)^[source]	—
Produced	2014 - present^[source]	1948−1957^[source]
No. built	>72 (excl. 12 prototypes)^[source]	10,151^[source]
Action	Auto gun alignment and positioning^[source]	Semi-automatic horizontal sliding wedge^[source]
Breech	Screw type^[source]	—
Recoil	Electro-rheological/Magneto-rheological^[source]	—
Elevation	Servo based, -3°/+70°^[source]	+85°/-3°^[source]
Traverse	Servo based, 30° left or right from centreline^[source]	360°^[source]
Feed system	Electrically operated ammunition handling^[source]	—
Sights	Thermal sight Gunners display^[source]	—
Variants	—	See § Variants^[source]
Shell	—	AP-T, APC-T, HE, HE-FRAG, FRAG^[source]
Reported operators	Reported operator · Indian Army	Reported operator · Armenia Reported operator · Azerbaijan Reported operator · Cuba Reported operator · Guinea Reported operator · Iran Reported operator · Mauritania Reported operator · North Korea Reported operator · Republic of the Congo Reported operator · Syria Reported operator · Ukraine Reported operator · Vietnam

FORCETALLY

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Dhanush (howitzer)

KS-19

Type

Howitzer^[source]

Anti-aircraft gun^[source]

Place of origin

India^[source]

Soviet Union^[source]

In service

2019 - present^[source]

1948−present^[source]

Used by

Indian Army^[source]

See § Operators^[source]

Wars

2025 India–Pakistan conflict^[source]

Korean War Vietnam War Iran–Iraq War Soviet–Afghan War Gulf War Somali Civil War 2003 invasion of Iraq Russo-Ukrainian War Second Nagorno-Karabakh War^[source]

Designer

Ordnance Factory Board^[source]

L. V. Lyuliev^[source]

Designed

2010 - 2013^[source]

1947^[source]

Manufacturer

Advanced Weapons and Equipment India Limited (previously Ordnance Factory Board )^[source]

Plant No. 4, Perm^[source]

Unit cost

₹ 14 crore (US$1.5 million)^[source]

—

Produced

2014 - present^[source]

1948−1957^[source]

No. built

>72 (excl. 12 prototypes)^[source]

10,151^[source]

Action

Auto gun alignment and positioning^[source]

Semi-automatic horizontal sliding wedge^[source]

Breech

Screw type^[source]

—

Recoil

Electro-rheological/Magneto-rheological^[source]

—

Elevation

Servo based, -3°/+70°^[source]

+85°/-3°^[source]

Traverse

Servo based, 30° left or right from centreline^[source]

360°^[source]

Feed system

Electrically operated ammunition handling^[source]

—

Sights

Thermal sight Gunners display^[source]

—

Variants

—

See § Variants^[source]

Shell

—

AP-T, APC-T, HE, HE-FRAG, FRAG^[source]

Reported operators

Reported operator · Indian Army

Reported operator · Armenia
Reported operator · Azerbaijan
Reported operator · Cuba
Reported operator · Guinea
Reported operator · Iran
Reported operator · Mauritania
Reported operator · North Korea
Reported operator · Republic of the Congo
Reported operator · Syria
Reported operator · Ukraine
Reported operator · Vietnam