Why Saudi Arabia Chose Pakistan to Build Its Next-Generation Artillery System – Quwa

On 21 January 2026, Pakistan’s Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) launched a young for the procurement of long-lead forgings for “Venture P251” – i.e., a 155 mm/52-calibre Truck Mounted Artillery Gun System (TMAGS). 

HIT is growing P251/TMAGS as an authentic wheeled self-propelled howitzer (SPH) for Saudi Arabian Navy Industries (SAMI), which – as per the 2022-2024 Ministry of Defence Manufacturing (MoDP) Yearbook – chosen HIT because the “prime contractor” for the SPH in 2022. 

P251 is a continuation of an earlier mission relationship again to at the very least 2021, when HIT publicly introduced it was engaged on an indigenous 155 mm artillery gun. Nonetheless, it didn’t disclose the configuration, however the brand new MoDP report outlined that its checks have been profitable, thereby resulting in a contract with SAMI to develop a full-fledged SPH. 

This new tender requires Lengthy Lead Excessive Worth (LLHV) gadgets, largely high-quality alloys, to be used in numerous components of a brand new artillery gun system that HIT is growing in Pakistan, particularly the next grades:

40NiCrMoV1535NiCrMoV12-535NiCrMoV12-5Mod35NiCrMoV15Mod

The fascinating facet of those alloys is that they’re all of high-quality European grades, with 35NiCrMoV15Mod specifically being positioned as an alloy to be used within the next-generation 155 mm howitzer weapons.

Thus, one can infer from the tender that SAMI had requested HIT to design and develop the gun system in response to NATO – or at the very least near-NATO – requirements, doubtless in keeping with the necessities of the Saudi navy.

At the moment, HIT requires seven gadgets to be used within the recoil system, three inputs for the breech parts, and two gadgets for the carriage. In impact, the tender covers all of the parts besides the barrel, which Pakistan can manufacture indigenously. 

Furthermore, HIT requires the alloys to satisfy a tolerance requirement of -40°C, which signifies that SAMI’s necessities not solely name for the necessity to function within the scorching environments of the Arabian Gulf but in addition in chilly areas as effectively, probably highlighting SAMI’s intent to market the system to different markets or, probably, HIT waiting for a possible future Pakistan Military (PA) requirement as effectively.

General, Venture P251 or TMAGS carries a number of main implications that might reshape future Pakistani defence procurement tendencies. 

First, the Pakistani defence business is evidently advertising its in-house capability for authentic design, improvement, and integration to others.