Goodluck India Limited’s subsidiary, Goodluck Defence and Aerospace Limited, has obtained an Industrial License under the Indian Arms Act, 1959, to manufacture empty shells for the defence and aerospace sector. The company plans to begin trial production of M107 artillery shells by the third quarter of the financial year 2025-26.
The new facility is designed to produce 150,000 M107 artillery shells annually, intended for use with howitzer systems including the M777 and Dhanush guns. The plant is reportedly ahead of schedule, with cold and hot runs already conducted as part of preparations for trial production, pending final government clearances.
Goodluck Defence and Aerospace Limited is also part of a strategic alliance with BrahMos Aerospace and Axiscades Technologies for India’s Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme.
Goodluck India Limited is expanding its presence in the defence and aerospace sector through this facility and partnerships, focusing on the production of components for military applications.
The M107 artillery shell is a 155 mm high-explosive projectile widely used by various armed forces around the world. It features a forged steel body filled with a high-explosive charge, typically composed of TNT or Composition B, weighing approximately 6.6 to 7 kg. The complete projectile weighs about 43.2 kilograms (95 pounds) and measures roughly 680 millimeters in length with the fuze installed. It is painted olive drab with yellow markings for identification.
This shell is designed for use with 155 mm howitzers such as the M198 and M109 series. Its maximum effective firing range is approximately 18,000 meters (18 km), though modifications with base bleed and improved aerodynamics can extend range beyond 30 km. The muzzle velocity is around 690 meters per second, ensuring the projectile reaches its target with considerable force. The M107 produces nearly 1,950 fragments on detonation, providing significant blast and fragmentation effects against personnel, vehicles, and fortifications.
The projectile is a separate-loading round, meaning the shell and propellant charges are loaded independently into the howitzer. A fuze is attached just before firing; common fuze types include point detonating, proximity, or time delay variants, allowing flexibility in target engagement. The projectile features a rotating band made of gilding metal that engages with the howitzer’s rifling to impart spin for accuracy during flight.
Originally approved for use in the late 1950s, the M107 has become somewhat dated compared to modern artillery shells but remains in service largely due to its low cost, availability, and suitability for training or less intense combat scenarios. Its relatively simple aerodynamic design and fragmentation pattern result in decent but unimpressive performance compared with more sophisticated high explosive shells. Several countries manufacture the M107 with slight variations in specifications.
Overall, the M107 remains a reliable, versatile artillery munition that balances effectiveness with affordability, and it continues to be a staple in artillery arsenals worldwide. It is specifically planned for production at Goodluck Defence and Aerospace Limited’s new manufacturing facility in India, catering to the demand for these essential artillery shells in the Defence & Aerospace Industry.
