Designed by GIAT Industries and LOHR Industries for Rapid Deployment Force. Work on the creation of the gun began in 1990. Initially, the howitzer gun had a barrel with a length of 39 calibers, but after testing the next prototypes, a barrel with a length of 52 caliber was used. Tests carried out in October 1998 by the French ground forces confirmed that the gun meets all the requirements and tactical and technical parameters.
The howitzer cannon is an open-type self-propelled gun mounted on the chassis of a Mercedes-Benz LJ2450L (6 x 6) with a 176 kW engine and an 8-speed gearbox.
The howitzer cannon can set up anti-tank minefields using 0MI cluster shells, which consist of six anti-tank mines equipped with a magnetic fuse and a self-destruct system.
In containers located on both sides of the gun, 18 shells are transported, as well as modular propelling charges (a full charge consists of six modules with a diameter of 158 mm and a length of 156 mm).
The sealed, welded steel sheet, air-conditioned, glazed with bulletproof glass (26 mm thick), the cabin is equipped with six separate seats for the entire calculation of the gun.
The howitzer cannon is adapted for warfare in various geographic and climatic zones. It can be transported both by air by aircraft of the C-130 "Hercules" class, and by sea.
