Home reports Industry Rheinmetall and Elbit Systems show wheeled howitzer firing live

Rheinmetall and Elbit Systems show wheeled howitzer firing live

May 16, 2023

The German armaments group Rheinmetall and Elbit Systems from Israel presented an automated 155mm L52 caliber wheeled howitzer with live firing at the beginning of March. The demonstration of the new system took place at the Shivta firing range in southern Israel in front of high-ranking guests from the British, German, Dutch and Hungarian armed forces, Rheinmetall writes in a statement. The report does not reveal whether a weapon system from Rheinmetall was already used in the howitzer.

According to further information, Rheinmetall and Elbit Systems concluded a cooperation agreement last year for the development, production and marketing of a fully automated European 155mm wheeled howitzer system.

The "Rheinmetall Elbit" team, led by Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH, will apply for the Bundeswehr's "Future Indirect Fire System - Medium Range" program in the field of artillery, the Düsseldorf-based company announced. The focus remains on the British program "Mobile Fires Platform", which is also attracting a great deal of interest from other potential customers such as Hungary.

According to Rheinmetall, the cooperation builds on the procurement programs of the Israeli Ministry of Defense and other customer countries, under which a fully automated wheeled howitzer was ordered from Elbit Systems. This makes it possible to use a system with a high degree of maturity. For example, the Rheinmetall weapon system can be scaffolded in the unmanned and fully automated robotic artillery turret from Elbit Systems. According to the announcement, this is already in an advanced phase of integrated verification. As Rheinmetall goes on to write, there is an intensive bilateral technology transfer in order to make know-how and components available locally. The Düsseldorf group is making modifications for Europeanization and for the approval of the system in Germany. Furthermore, the tried-and-tested 155mm L52 weapon system, the HX 10×10 tactical truck with a protected cab and electronic components for fire control and sensors will be introduced.

According to Rheinmetall, it is already working on extending the range of the barrel artillery. The wheeled howitzer should also be able to use the further development A1 of the L52 cannon, as well as the L60 weapon system under development with a larger charge space and a barrel with 60 caliber lengths. This weapon system will be able to fire ammunition up to a distance of 83 km, which means that the wheeled howitzer will meet the requirements for the future wheel-based system Indirect Fire – Medium Range of the Bundeswehr, according to Rheinmetall.

Editorial / lah

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