The 155 mm self-propelled artillery mount, which bears the proud name of the Teutonic god of thunder Donar, is a common brainchild of the German company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) and the European division of General Dynamics Land Systems (GDELS). Field tests of this artillery complex were carried out in Germany. The new development could be seen at the Eurosatory-2008 arms exhibition held in Paris. ACS Donar immediately attracted the attention of military specialists.
The new self-propelled howitzer model meets the most modern requirements for high-precision firing from closed positions. Its use can be either a good help or even a complete replacement for expensive air support operations, which usually use attack aircraft and attack helicopters. Experts believe that the development of the Donar artillery complex fundamentally changes all existing concepts of using artillery.
The creation of a new self-propelled artillery installation took place as part of the continuation of the Artillery Gun Module program. The previous development was a multiple launch rocket howitzer based on a tracked chassis. ACS Donar was created on the basis of one of the variants of ASCOD 2 - an infantry fighting vehicle, due to which the created artillery complex has a very high degree of maneuverability.
The control of an automated mobile system, which is the Donar self-propelled howitzer, requires the maintenance of a crew consisting of only two people - a driver and a commander. The armored cockpit, from which the control is carried out, is located separately from the automatic cannon. The survivability of the complex is increased by the low landing and enhanced protection of the cockpit, and the crew, respectively, from being hit by firearms, shrapnel of artillery and mortar shells. The level of protection of the self-propelled artillery unit meets all the high requirements of NATO standards. The relatively small weight of the complex in comparison with analogues - about 32 tons, and small dimensions provide high maneuverability and allow the howitzer to be transported using an Airbus A400M transporter or another aircraft with the same carrying capacity. At the same time, in terms of firepower, the Donar self-propelled artillery mount is not inferior to the heavier PzH-2000 self-propelled howitzer, the rate of fire of the artillery module is also quite high. The gun is fully remote controlled and fires in all azimuths, while the firing range is up to 56 km.
The ammunition load of the gun is thirty 155-mm caliber shells, equipped with fuses, and the same number of charge modules. Despite its light weight, the cannon module does not require additional stabilization and can be easily rotated 360 degrees in the horizontal plane. In addition, the artillery complex is equipped with a highly accurate navigation system, an automated fire control system, an automatic loading system, a fire detection and fire extinguishing system, a collective defense against weapons of mass destruction and others.
The emergence of the Donar autonomous artillery complex is a new step in the centralization of command and control. The companies KMW and GDELS, the creators of the Donar self-propelled guns, believe that their development can arouse interest among the military departments of those states where traditional self-propelled artillery mounts such as K9, AS90 or M109 are in service.
