The Nexter CAESAR artillery system can be installed on a wide variety of truck chassis. Its buyers are France, Saudi Arabia and Thailand
Mobile artillery systems still play an important role on the battlefield, despite the use of UAVs and other advanced systems and technologies
Traditionally, self-propelled artillery systems were installed on tracked chassis, but an increasing number of users are now adopting wheeled versions that have better strategic mobility and a lower cost of the entire service life.
Several operators, including France, Norway and Sweden, have already decided to replace their current towed and tracked artillery systems with wheeled versions. However, it is expected that tracked systems will remain in service for many years to come, as most users upgrade their systems in order to increase their service life.
The newest self-propelled artillery installations (ACS) usually have a computerized fire control system (FCS) on board, which includes a ground navigation system that allows them to independently perform fire missions, as well as deploy as part of a battery or battalion.
In addition to firing conventional ammunition such as high-explosive fragmentation, smoke and lighting, there is a tendency in some countries to have more accurate artillery ammunition in service. Investments are more likely to be directed to the purchase of new ammunition and improved guidance and tracking devices than to new platforms.
Suitable artillery
The type of artillery system deployed in combat depends on the type of terrain and the set of targets to be destroyed.
In Afghanistan, for example, towed artillery and mortars are more widespread than tracked self-propelled weapons because they can be quickly delivered by helicopter. The Dutch army deployed several Krauss-Maffei Wegmann PzH 2000 tracked howitzers in Afghanistan, which are currently being replaced by German army howitzers, while the French army deployed its CAESAR wheeled howitzers in Afghanistan and northern Lebanon.
Due to the increased attention to wheeled platforms, the number of serially produced and offered on the market fully tracked self-propelled guns has sharply decreased over the past ten years.
The PLZ45 155 mm / 45 cal system developed by the Chinese company North Industries Corporation (NORINCO) is in service with the Chinese army; it has been exported to at least two countries - Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.
The maximum range depends on the projectile / charge combination, but is usually 39 km when fired with an extended range caliber projectile with a bottom gas generator (ERFB-BB). To support the PLZ45, the PCZ45 transport and loading vehicle was developed and put into production; it can carry an additional 90 155mm rounds and charges that can be quickly fed into the PLZ45 artillery mount.
The newest tracked artillery system NORINCO PLZ52, armed with a 155 mm / 52 cal cannon, has a new hull and has a gross weight of 43 tons versus 33 tons for the original PLZ45.
The PzH 2000 is currently replacing the outdated tracked self-propelled guns operated by the German army. The 155 mm / 52 caliber cannon is installed in the turret at the rear of the hull; when hovering, the tower can quickly rotate 360 °. The ammunition load is 60 pieces of 155-mm shells and charges.
Approximately 185 PzH 2000 howitzers were manufactured for the German army with export deliveries to Greece (24), Italy (70) and the Netherlands (57). Production ended but can be restarted. The restructuring has left the Netherlands with a few redundant systems.
Production of 155-mm howitzers KMW PzH 2000 completed, but can be resumed if necessary
155 mm / 52 cal gun Artillery Gun Module (AGM) from Krauss-Maffei Wegmann
Mobility issues
Despite the fact that the PzH 2000 is a very effective 155mm self-propelled gun, with its 55 tons, it is too heavy for rapid deployment. For this reason, Krauss-Maffei Wegmann proactively developed the 155 mm / 52 cal Artillery Gun Module (AGM), the first of which was manufactured in 1994. AGM is a remotely controlled turret armed with the same Rheinmetall 155 mm / 52 caliber gun mount as the PzH 2000 howitzer and equipped with a fully automatic ammunition handling system, which first loads the projectile and then sends the modular charge MCS (Modular Charge System).
The ammunition load is 30 155 mm rounds plus MCS charges; the maximum rate of fire of the gun can be 8 rounds per minute, while all guidance and loading functions are performed remotely. The first copy of the AGM was installed on the reserve chassis of the MLRS and had a combat weight of about 30 tons.
ACS Donar
Further development of the system led to the emergence of the Donar ACS, which is essentially an AGM installed in a special case based on the Pizarro BMP, developed by General Dynamics Land Systems Europe - Santa Bárbara Sistemas.
155-mm Iranian self-propelled gun Raad-2
Iran has developed and started producing at least two fully tracked self-propelled artillery systems, the Raad-2 155mm and the Raad-1 122mm, the latter having a turret similar to that mounted on the widespread Russian 122mm 2S1 Gvozdika.
The division of Samsung Techwin on defense programs manufactured 1,040 self-propelled 155 mm / 39 cal M109A2 BAE Systems under license, they are still in service with the Korean army.
155 mm / 52 cal K9 Thunder self-propelled guns are in service with the Korean army
These installations are currently complemented by the 155-mm / 52 caliber K9 Thunder self-propelled guns, which has a total weight of 46.3 tons and a 152 mm / 52 caliber turret mounted gun equipped with an automatic ammunition processing system, while the charges are loaded manually. In total, the ammunition load includes 48 shells and charges. The Turkish army is also in service with a local version of the K9 Thunder howitzer called Firtina.
BAE Systems AS90 is the only tracked platform of the British Royal Artillery, which is usually deployed in divisions of six systems
Russian export
The newest SPG put into service with the Russian army is the 152mm 2S19, which is exported to several countries. A version armed with a Western standard 155mm / 52 cannon, designated 2S19M1, was developed and tested.
Singapore has been self-sufficient in artillery systems for many years. ST Kinetics from this country developed the Primus 155 mm / 39 cal tracked self-propelled guns, presumably a total of 54 systems were delivered.
Today, the British Army operates only the BAE Systems (formerly Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering) AS90 tracked system with a 155mm / 39 cal cannon, which is usually deployed in six-gun divisions. A total of 179 systems were delivered, but today a total of 132 howitzers are in service; the system is no longer marketed by BAE Systems. The AS90 turret with a 155-mm cannon was used for the Krab self-propelled gun, developed in Poland for the Polish army.
The US Army took delivery of 975 155 mm / 39 cal M109A6 Paladin systems from BAE Systems and a corresponding number of M992 FAASV (Field Artillery Ammunition Support Vehicle) transport and loading vehicles based on a modified M109 hull. These two were supposed to be replaced by the modern 155-mm Crusader self-propelled guns and the corresponding transport-loading vehicle (TZM), but later they were considered too heavy and the replacement was canceled.
ACS M109A6 Paladin (above). Transport and loading vehicle M992 FAASV (below)
Newest 155 mm / 39 cal ACS M109A6 Paladin Integrated Management
Within the framework of the Combat Systems of the Future program, which has now been canceled, a self-propelled artillery unit 155 mm / 38 cal NLOSC was developed, which was also canceled. The M109A6 Paladin will be replaced by the upgraded M109A6 Paladin Integrated Management (PIM) installation, BAE Systems has already manufactured five prototypes of the M109A6 PIM ACS and two FAASV TZM. The self-propelled gun consists of a new hull, which includes components of the Bradley BMP, and a modified turret from the M109A6 Paladin, which retains a 155 mm / 39 cal gun.
When funding is opened, it is expected that approximately 440 M109A6 Paladin PIM self-propelled guns will be purchased by the American army, the decision on initial production should be made in late 2013 or early 2014.
A changing trend
Over the past few years, there has been a tendency for the creation, development and production of wheeled self-propelled guns. Compared to their tracked counterparts, they offer significant advantages to the end user - traditional ACS usually require heavy weapons transporters for long-range deployment, while wheeled systems can be deployed independently. Today, wheeled self-propelled guns can range from heavy, well-protected systems to lighter, air-transportable systems, usually with a protected cockpit and weapons mounted on an unprotected installation in the rear of the chassis. They are usually equipped with opener stabilizers that are lowered to the ground before opening fire, most systems are also equipped with a hydraulic rammer to reduce crew fatigue and increase rate of fire.
However, these wheeled self-propelled guns also have a number of disadvantages compared to their tracked counterparts, including worse cross-country ability and a reduced ammunition load for ready shots.
Today NORINCO introduces the largest family of wheeled LPGs in the world, including the most powerful 155mm / 52 caliber SH1 system based on a 6x6 all-terrain chassis with a fully protected front cab. The horizontal guidance angle of the 155-mm gun is 20 °, the vertical guidance angles are from -3 to + 70 °. The declared maximum range when firing an extended-range caliber projectile with a bottom gas generator is 41 km, the ammunition load is 20 shells and 20 charges. It is clear that the SH1 self-propelled gun is in service with the Chinese army, and it is quite possible that it was exported to Myanmar.
NORINCO is also promoting the 122mm SH2 self-propelled gun, which has a protected four-door cockpit and an artillery mount in the rear. The angles of horizontal and vertical guidance of which, respectively, are 22, 5 ° and from 0 ° to + 70 °.
122-mm SPG SH2 from NORINCO
Same types
The 122-mm gun itself in this installation is the same as in the Chinese Type 86 towed artillery system (a variant of the Russian D-30), not to mention the many outdated Chinese tracked systems.
The Chinese army also has a Type 86 122-mm self-propelled gun, which was promoted on the market by Poly Technologies. It is a fairly typical system, consisting of a 6x6 truck chassis with an unprotected cab installed in front and the top of a standard Type 86 towed howitzer in the rear. Before firing, the openers are lowered on each side, while the gun can only shoot over the rear of the chassis.
Targeting the export market is the 105mm SH5 6x6 SG, it has a similar layout to the 122mm SH2, but is mounted on a slightly different chassis, which has front and rear steered wheels. A 105 mm / 37 cal cannon when fired with an American high-explosive fragmentation ammunition M1 has a maximum range of 12 km, which can be increased to 18 km when using a projectile with a bottom gas generator, the ammunition load is 40 rounds.
CAESAR in Afghanistan
Nexter proactively developed the CAESAR 155 mm / 52 cal artillery system, its first technological prototype was first demonstrated in 1994. The 155 mm / 52 cal cannon is installed in the rear of the chassis, after deployment to the firing position, the azimuth angle is 17 °, vertical angles are from -3 to + 66 °. The maximum range when firing an extended-range caliber projectile reaches 42 km, the ammunition load consists of 18 155-mm shells and corresponding charges, ready to fire.
The French Ministry of Defense awarded the company a contract for five pre-production systems, which were delivered in 2002-2003. Then, in 2008 - 2011, 72 serial systems were delivered, they were based on the chassis of the Renault Trucks Defense Sherpa 6x6 truck with a protected cab.
There are long-term goals for the French army to replace all of its remaining 155mm tracked AUF1 TA and Nexter towed TRs with CAESAR SGs. In the future, the company hopes to receive an additional order for 64 CAESAR howitzers, which could be delivered between 2015 and 2020.
The Thai army has adopted an initial batch of six CAESAR SGs, which are also based on the Sherpa chassis. The Saudi Arabian National Guard has ordered a total of 136 howitzers, but they are mounted on a Mercedes-Benz Unimog 6x6 all-terrain chassis, the last batch of 32 systems to be assembled in Saudi Arabia. In late 2012, it was also announced that Indonesia had ordered 37 CAESAR SGs from Nexter.
155 mm Iranian SPG 6 x 6 HM41
ATMOS 2000 from Israeli company Soltam Systems (above). ACS 155 mm / 52 cal ATROM intended for the Romanian army (two photos below)
Iranian developments. And not only
Iran has recently developed a 155mm 6x6 SPG, consisting of a truck chassis with a cabover cab and a standard Iranian towed 155mm / 39 cal HM41 artillery system mounted at the rear. After lowering the large hydraulically driven opener to the ground before firing, the gun can only fire in a frontal arc.
The Israeli company Soltam Systems (currently a division of Elbit) has many years of experience in the design, development and production of towed and self-propelled artillery systems. The company is currently able to offer potential buyers a complete artillery system not only with weapons and ammunition, but also with an FCS, including forward observers. Currently, an autonomous howitzer based on an ATMOS 2000 (Autonomous Truck Mounted Howitzer System 2000) truck chassis is being manufactured for the export market, which can be installed on a 6 x 6 all-terrain truck chassis with a cabover cab, which, as a rule, has protection.
In the rear of the chassis, 155-mm guns of 52, 45 or 39 calories are installed with vertical and horizontal drives and a hydraulic rammer. There is a hydraulic opener on each side of the platform that lowers to the ground before firing.
For the Romanian market ATMOS was renamed the 155 mm / 52 cal ATROM system based on the Romanian 6 x 6 chassis; Apparently, the production of this howitzer for the army of this country has not yet begun.
The Italian army has a large fleet of 8 x 8 armored vehicles, including the 105mm Centauro artillery mount, as well as an increasing number of Freccia infantry fighting vehicles. In order to provide these units with highly mobile indirect fire capabilities, Oto Melara is developing a 155-mm ultralight wheeled howitzer, a typical layout of which was shown at Eurosatory 2012.
The first exhibition instance of the turret, armed with a 155 mm / 39 caliber cannon, was mounted on the hull from the 105 mm Centauro artillery system. An automatic ammunition supply system can be installed in the tower, which allows to achieve a rate of fire of 8 rounds / min.
Serbian system
In addition to producing a wide family of towed artillery systems, including upgrade kits, the Serbian company Yugoimport has developed a NORA B-52 155mm / 52 cal wheeled ACS, which has been sold to at least two foreign buyers. The system is mounted on an 8x8 off-road truck chassis and typically fires backward in a 30 ° horizontal arc and at vertical angles of -5 ° to + 65 °.
In the 70s, the former Czechoslovakia became one of the first countries to develop a wheeled artillery system with a 152 mm ZTS Dana cannon based on the Tatra 8 x 8 chassis. This system had a protected crew compartment in front, a fully protected tower in the middle. and a protected engine compartment at the back. More than 750 units were manufactured, they are still in service with the Czech Republic, Georgia, Libya, Poland and Slovakia.
As a result of further development, the Zuzana 155-mm / 45-caliber howitzer appeared, which was supplied to Cyprus and Slovakia, and more recently its modification was developed by the Zuzana A1 155-mm / 52 caliber self-propelled gun.
Denel's G6-52 is a modification of the base model originally developed for the South African army.
With the exception of the Olifant tank, the South African Army operates exclusively on wheeled vehicles, including the G6 155mm / 45 caliber howitzer from Denel Land Systems, which has a combat weight of approximately 47 tonnes and is armed with a 155mm / 45 caliber cannon mounted in a well protected turret at the rear. hull with 45 rounds of ammunition.
A total of 43 G6 howitzers were manufactured for the South African army, 24 howitzers were exported to Oman and 78 howitzers to the UAE. In the course of further development, the G6-52 howitzer appeared with a 155-mm / 52 cal cannon with an automatic ammunition processing system that feeds shells and MCS modular charges.
ACS Rheinmetall Wheeled Gun 52 from Rheinmetall Defense
Export hopes
For the export market, the company has developed the T5 Condor howitzer, which is usually based on the Tatra 8x8 truck chassis with a rear mounted 155 mm / 45 cal or 155 mm / 52 cal cannon.
Rheinmetall Defense has developed the Rheinmetall Wheeled Gun 52 with the hull developed by Industrial Automotive Design and the turret armed with the same 155 mm / 52 cal gun as the German PzH 2000.
Norway and Sweden are replacing their current fleets of artillery systems with the FH77 BW L52 Archer 6x6 howitzer from BAE Systems; each country received 24 systems to begin with. Archer is based on the chassis of a Volvo 6 x 6 off-road truck with a protected cab and a 155 mm / 52 cal gun mount behind, which also has an ammunition load of ready-made shells and charges for them. The installation has a maximum rate of fire up to 8 rounds per minute, all operations are carried out remotely from the cockpit.
While the self-propelled artillery system may have limited use in counterinsurgency operations, it can become a key player in traditional maneuvering operations due to its sufficient mobility, and its high level of protection allows it to operate in conjunction with tanks and infantry fighting vehicles, for which it provides fire support. …
