Artillery

When Artillery Rolls In

The Israeli Soltam Atmos is offered with a 155-mm howitzer and various barrel lengths from 33 to 52 calibres

Looking at artillery systems deployed in Afghanistan, one can find all types. Was an insurgent objective dealt with in the Uruzgan province early in 2010? The equipment involved was probably a Dutch PzH 2000. Was a tree line getting pounded around a Forward Operating Base in the Helmand valley by artillery? The fire source could very likely have been a British towed 105 mm L118 Light Gun. The American forces, for their part deploy M777 Ultra Lightweight Howitzers (as does Canada) and M198 155 mm towed guns.

Paolo Valpolini
new concept, however, is storming in. One of the latest additions to the Nato arsenal deployed in Afghanistan is the French Caesar truckmounted 155-mm SP howitzer. Every type of asset has its own pros and cons, of course: the Light Guns and ULH are airdeployable by helicopter, while the PzH 2000 certainly provides top-class protection to its crewmembers as they operate under heavy armour, but with a drawback in terms of higher weight penalty and lower mobility. These two classes of artillery systems were typically those developed during the Cold War era. Few nations had developed artillery on wheels before 1989 apart from South Africa and Czechoslovakia. However, new expeditionary missions that required both high mobility on the ground and a certain degree of protection together with a long-range capability, brought about the development of a new breed of wheeled self-propelled systems based on truck chassis. Current wheeled self-propelled artillery assets can thus be divided between turret-mounted guns coupled to heavy chassis (with full protection to their crews but more limited strategic mobility resulting from their weight and dimensions including on roads in some scenarios) on the one hand, and light-

weight systems mounted on trucks on the other. The latter type provide optimal mobility both on the ground and by air, and many of them are air transportable in C-130 aircraft which, perhaps, does not mean much in terms of strategic mobility, but can be of great importance in terms of intra-theatre mobility.

Ave Caesar
Sweden and France may be considered the precursors in the modern-day truckmounted artillery, as in the mid-90s Bofors of Sweden (now part of BAE Systems) and Giat of France (today Nexter) started

A Caesar on the move. Export systems feature a different truck, while the Caesar Mk 2 has an improved cabin that provides greater protection to the crew. (Armada/PV)
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work on two concepts, respectively an 8 x 8 casemated gun and a 6 x 6 truck-mounted gun. The latter gave birth to the French Caesar (Camion quip dun Systme dARtillerie). It consists of a 6 x 6 truck chassis on which the company integrated its 52-calibre 155-mm ordnance together with a semi-automatic loading system. This new concept took a while to be accepted by the French Army, which finally ordered five pre-production systems for evaluation, leading to the eventual order of 72 in late 2004. These are based on Renault Trucks Defense Sherpa 5 chassis. With a combat weight of 17.6 tonnes and a width of 2.55 metres it can be transported inside a C-130, but above all it fully complies with the Highway Code and does not require an escort squad. The Caesar has a very high accuracy thanks to its ordnance as well as a computerised fire control system developed by Nexter and EADS Defence Electronics (now Cassidian Electronics), the Sagem Sigma 30 navigation system and the Intertechnique Rob4 muzzle velocity radar, which also all contribute to the automatic laying of the gun. This keeps the in action time very short, as the five-man crew only has to lower the hydraulically operated rear spades and load the gun, the semi-auto system maintains a two to three-rds/min sustained rate of fire. Deliveries to the French Army started in mid-2009 and, one year later, eight guns were deployed to Afghanistan to forward operating bases and are used to support patrols operating up to 30 km away; most missions involve the firing of smoke rounds (often used as warning shots), illuminating rounds and HE rounds. Protection kits have been installed on these systems, mostly to protect crews while they travel to and from base. The export version, and oddly enough the development version as well, is based

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An Archer during firing trials; this wheeled selfpropelled howitzer has been acquired by Sweden and Norway, which will get their first systems in late 2011. (BAE Systems)

on a Soframe/Unimog 6 x 6, and has been sold to Thailand (six systems by now all delivered, with an identified need for further twelve) and to the Saudi National Guard, which ordered 100 that are currently under delivery to equip four artillery battalions and the artillery school, while a number will be kept in reserve. Based on the lessons learned in Afghanistan and on export marketing considerations, Nexter developed the Caesar Mk 2. This mainly differs in having integrated mine protection, Level 3 ballistic protection to the cabin, new energy absorbing seats, firing ports in the side doors for self-defence and provisions for the installation of a remotecontrolled weapon station on the roof of the cabin. This version is being proposed to the DGA for the second batch of vehicles that should be ordered by France in 2015, if plans are respected. This batch should involve 64 units intended to replace the venerable AU-F1 tracked howitzer, in the same wheel-for-track replacement pattern as implemented by the French infantry where the VBCI has replaced the AMX-10P. Nexter is looking at further export markets, the Caesar having been demon-

strated in Malaysia and the United States. There also is Poland, where the Kryl requirement should be met by the Nexter system, although adapted to the local needs. For this purpose the French company has teamed with two local industries Jelcz to provide the truck chassis, and Huta Stalowa Wola (HSW) to mount the ordnance on the truck and integrate the Polish artillery fire control system.

Swedish Mettle
Following the split from Giat, Bofors (now part of BAE Systems) embarked on

and 2007 and a memorandum of understanding with Norway, a further contract signed in early 2009 was followed in June that same year by the confirmation from the two countries. This has led to the production of two prototypes, P1 for Sweden and P2 for Norway; these prototypes are shared between the two nations and the industry and are being used for verification and production work. Finally, in March 2010 BAE Systems was awarded a 155 million contract by Sweden and Norway for the acquisition of 48 systems; six will be delivered in November 2011 four to Sweden and two to Norway with full-rate production starting in 2012 and last deliveries scheduled for 2013. As for the export market, Canada and Denmark remain interested in the Archer, the former already using the M777 155/39-mm ULH. The creation of Defense Land Systems India, a joint venture owned 74% by the local Mahindra & Mahindra group and the rest by BAE Systems, puts the latter companys artillery systems in a strong position for future bids in that country. A hybrid system, known as Mounted Gun System, was developed for a possible Indian bid based on the Archer with the ordnance of the FH77 B05 155/52-mm towed howitzer, which is also
Reloading operations for this French Army Caesar. This system is currently deployed in Afghanistan by the Arme de Terre and is regularly used for firing various kinds of ammunition at ranges of up to 30 km. (Armada/PV)

A view of the ammunition and charges magazine. Thanks to its automatic loading system the Archer allows its crew to fire under the protection of the armoured cabin. (Armada/PV)

the development of the FH77 BWL52, later known as the Archer. The system differs considerably from the French design as it allows the crew to fully operate under armour. The 155/52-mm gun is equipped with an automatic loading system in a protected enclosure that ensures a maximum rate of fire of three rounds in 13 seconds, an intensive rate of 20 rounds in 150 seconds and a sustained rate of 75 rds/hr. The Archer magazine contains 20 rounds and 18 full charges, the gun traverse being limited to 75 while maximum elevation is +70. Installed on a modified Volvo 6 x 6 A30D articulated dump truck, the Archer is clearly a much heavier system, as it tips the scales at about 30 tonnes, which fits it half-way between the full-turret and the truckmounted systems. The choice of a dump truck was made in order to ensure the best possible wheeled cross-country mobility at the cost of a lower maximum road speed, which is 70 km/h. Following two development contracts issued by Sweden in 2006
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competing in India, in order to ensure a common logistic base. Also known as the MGS, it aims at a request for proposal that should be issued by India in the 2012 to 2013 timeframe.

Robbing Peter
... to pay John: in South Africa Denel has developed a truck-mounted system for the export market. Known as the T5 Condor, it uses the elevating mass of the G552 mounted on a Tatra 8 x 8 truck fitted with one rear and two side outriggers. The gun fires rearwards with a 40 traverse (a limit imposed by the loading procedure which takes place on the truck platform) and a +75 maximum elevation. Equipped with a semi-automatic rammer, the T-5 hosts 27 shells and 26 charges and has a maximum rate of fire of three rounds in 15 seconds, a rapid rate of six rds/min for three minutes and a sustained rate of two rds/min. Its fire control system allows a multiple-round simultaneous impact mode of up to six rounds at 25 km.

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Soltam of Israel has developed the Atmos (Autonomous Truck Mounted System) that can fire different types of ordnance, but is proposed with the companys 155/52 gun (although 33, 39 and 45-calibre ordnance in that calibre are also available). Since 17 October 2010 Soltam is wholly owned by Elbit Systems, which now offers the capability of controlling the entire platform. Available on a 6 x 6 Tatra truck or on an 8 x 8 chassis with modified protected cabins, the Atmos carries 27 shells and charges, and its automatic ammunition handling and loading system allows it to fire three rounds in 15 seconds. Intense rate of fire is given as 15 rounds in three minutes and sustained rate of fire as 75 rds/hr. In MRSI mode it can fire up to four rounds on the same target. The Atmos is in service in Israel, in Uganda in small numbers and in other undisclosed countries. Romania has acquired the system from Israel and integrated it on a Roman 26.360 DFAEG 6 x

A view of the Atrom, the version acquired by Romania and based upon a Roman 26.360 DFAEG truck chassis. (Armada archives)

ence with the PzH 2000 to develop a new weapon system based on a chassis reminiscent of the South African G-6, but in fact completely new. The work on the chassis was carried out by Industrial Automotive Development in South Africa, which designed the chassis according to Rheinmetalls requirements. The propulsion is provided by a 523-hp six-cylinder Deutz coupled to a six-speed
Soltam developed a version of its Atmos armed with the 122-mm D-30 gun of soviet origin. (Soltam)

6 chassis in a version known as the Atrom. Soltam also developed a truckmounted version of the D-30 known as the Atmos D30 which can be traversed on 360 and has a range of 15.3 km. Equipped with a semi-automatic loading system, it has a burst rate of fire of six rds/min and a sustained rate of four. This model is in production in large numbers, one of the customers being Kazakhstan where the system is known as the Semser, being mounted on a Kamaz 63502 8 x 8 chassis and produced locally.

ZF automatic transmission. A major difference with the G-6 is that the RWG-52 chassis has a door in the rear, which provides easy access to the fighting compartment; besides a driver, four more crewmembers are required to operate the gun. Commander and gunner are seated in the turret both during shooting and movement, while the two ammunition handlers stand during firing and are seated in the rear of the vehicle during movement. Comfortable off-road driving is ensured by fully independent suspen-

sions based on swing arms with torsion bars and hydraulic shock absorbers; should a mine explode under a wheel, this is designed to be blown off with minimal damage to the chassis. The welded steel armour provides 7.62-mm Nato AP protection all round, which means Level 3, and 14.5-mm on the 30 frontal arc that is Level 4, while the chassis can withstand the explosion of a TM-46 mine under the wheel equivalent to Level 2a. The turret is autonomous and its design makes it compatible on other wheeled or tracked chassis. It has a total weight of 18.7 tonnes and is armed with the same ordnance as the PzH 2000, namely a 155/52-mm gun with a 23-litre chamber, which allows a range of over 40 km and an MRSI firing mode. The loading system is different though, with ammunition fed from two magazines in the rear of the turret that carry respectively 40 modular charges on the left and 40 shells on the right. A semi-automatic reloading system allows replenishing the gun in ten minutes from ground piles and indexing for automatic retrieval when firing. The in and out of action time is 30 seconds, the intense rate of firing being of six rds/min for 40 rounds at full charge. An interest in the RWG-52, both as a complete system and as a turret, has been expressed by some other countries. The Zuzana was developed by Konstrukta Defence of the Slovak Republic out of the previous Dana wheeled artillery system that was based on a 152mm ordnance. The latest version, which is undergoing the tests, is the Zuzana 2, which, compared to the earlier 155-mm
This picture shows the semi-automatic refilling system used to top up the shells and ammunition magazines of the Rheinmetall RWG52. (Rheinmetall)

Full Metal Turret

Amongst the full turreted systems, two the Rheinmetall RWG-52 and the Konstrukta Zuzana are running for the above-mentioned Indian contract. Trials started in June 2010 and were due to end late that same year. They were divided into four main phases, user trials that included firing and mobility, maintenance trials, electro magnetic interference and compatibility and environmental tests. A decision is awaited by late 2011, the Indian Army having an urgent need for those new-wheeled artillery assets; requirements for a towed and a tracked system are also awaited. For its Rheinmetall Wheeled Gun (RWG) the company leveraged experiarmada INTERNATIONAL 1/2011

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The RWG-52 is seen during firing trials and on the move. This turreted gun mount has a weight of about 19 tonnes and is installed over a totally new and purposedeveloped chassis. (Rheinmetall)

model, features a 52-calibre barrel (instead of 45), with a combat weight increased to about 3.5 tonnes. The chassis and turret are protected against small arms and splinters, the frontal arc of 30 being protected at ballistic Level 4. The turret can be traversed over 360 but can only fire in the 60 arc. Two conveyor-type magazines can contain up to 40 shells and 40 charges, the system allowing projectiles up to 1000 mm long to be stored. The automatic loading system is equipped with a fuse setter for those rounds equipped with electronic fuses. In automatic mode the Zuzana 2 can fire six rds/min, or 16 in three minutes, while in manual mode the firing rate is two rds/min; the system is able to carry out MRSI missions. The system maintains the specially designed chassis with the engine at the rear and is powered by a 330-kW engine and carries an auxiliary power unit.

The Big 6
South Africa was probably the first nation to develop a turreted-wheeled artillery system in the form of the G6, the original 155/45-mm model of which was shown as a prototype in the early 80s. Based on a purposely-developed 6 x 6 welded steel chassis with double floor for better protection against mines, the turret sits over the rear twin axles and hosts five crewmembers. The turret can be traversed on 90 although normally firing is conducted within 40, while maximum elevation is 75. The G6 features an automatic gun laying system and a semi-automatic hydraulic flick rammer that offers a maximum rate of fire of three rds/min, and has 45 shells and 50 charges on board. The maximum range with base-bleed rocketassisted grenades is over 53 km. What is now named the G6-45 is still marketed by Denel and is in service in

quantities in South Africa, the UAE and Oman. To further improve the G6 performance Denel developed the G6-52, which can reach a range of 67 km with the M9 V-Lap projectile. The loading is fully automatic, which reduces the crew to three or four members, and allows a sustained rate of fire of eight rds/min for the whole 40-round load available in the turret, eight more being available in the vehicle. A new series of lighter turreted systems with smaller-calibre guns is beggining to appear; a move made in order to couple high mobility with crew protection even during firing. Again, Denel of South Africa has developed a lightweight turret, the T7, which is armed with the 105/58-mm gun of the light towed Leo 105 and features an automatic gun laying system. Weighing 3.75 tonnes this autonomous turret can be installed on an armoured vehicle accepting a 2.21-metre diameter bearing and a 25-tonne recoil force. Such a combination would, for example, transform a Piranha III into a true 24-km-range wheeled howitzer that is transportable on board a C-130-class aircraft. In spring 2010, Yugoimport unveiled its new family of wheeled SP light artillery systems, based on a 6 x 6 truck chassis with a turreted gun mount at the rear. As in the South African T7, to keep the weight low the calibre is smaller than found on the previous systems. Two options have been thus far provided; the D-30J 122/38-mm ordnance and a 105/52mm gun, which have a respective range of 21 and 30 kilometres with HE BB a grenades.

Wheeled Self-propelled Artillery Systems

Name Nation Company Configuration Combat weight Ordnance Loading Range [km] Crew Max. speed Cruising range Programme status Name Nation Company Configuration Combat weight Ordnance Loading Range [km] Crew Max. speed Cruising range Programme status Archer FH77 BWL52 UK Sweden BAE Bofors 6x6 33.5 tonnes 155/52 mm automatic Heer 40: > 40 Bonus: 35 Excalibur: < 60 three-four 70 km/h 400-500 km production SH1 China Norinco 6x6 22 tonnes 155/52 mm assisted ERFB-BB: 53 five 90 km/h n/a pre-production Atmos Israel Soltam 6x6 22 tonnes 155/52 mm automatic ERFB-BB: 41 four-six 80 km/h 1000 km production SH2 China Norinco 6x6 11.5 tonnes 122 mm manual ERFB-RA: 27 four-five 90 km/h 600 km prototype Caesar France Nexter 6x6 17.7 tonnes 155/52 mm semi-auto ERFB-BB: 42 four-five 100 km/h 600 km production SH5 China Norinco 6x6 10 tonnes 105/37 mm manual BB-HE: 18 four 90 km/h 600 km prototype G6-52 South Africa Denel 6x6 49 tonnes 155/52 mm automatic BB: 42 V-Lap: 58 V-Lap ER: 67 six 85 km/h 700 km ready T-5 Condor South Africa Denel 8x8 28 tonnes 155/52 mm semi-auto BB: 42 V-Lap: 55 six 85 km/h 600 km prototype Nora B52K Serbia Yugoimport 8x8 31.5 tonnes 155/52 mm automatic HE ERFB BB: 44 HE RA BB: 65 six n/a n/a production Zuzana 2 Slovakia ZTS 8x8 32 tonnes 155/52 mm automatic ERFB-BB: 41 four 80 km/h 600 km production RWG-52 Germany Rheinmetall 6x6 48 tonnes 155/52 mm semi-auto > 40 five 85 km/h 700-800 km prototype n/a Taiwan n/a 6x6 18.5 tonnes 155/45 mm assisted ERFB-BB: 38 n/a 100 km/h n/a prototype

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