The French Ministry of Defence (MoD) has ordered 109 Nexter CAESAR 6×6 MkII self-propelled howitzers (SPHs), the company announced on 2 February 2024.
The CAESAR 6×6 MkII is a new version of the wheeled SPH that is currently under development. The order, the contract price of which was not disclosed, was planned under France’s 2024-2030 defence programming law. The new systems will first replace the French Army’s tracked AMX-30 AuF1 SPHs at the end of their operational service and gradually phase out the army’s CAESAR 6×6 MkI SPHs.
“The French artillery will thus have an unprecedented capability since the introduction of the CAESAR 6×6 system in 2008,” KNDS, Nexter’s parent company, stated in a press release.
The order also includes support for the CAESAR MkII during the system’s first two years of use.
The development of the CAESAR MkII was launched in December 2021.
The main improvements of the CAESAR MkII, which uses the same 155 mm 52-calibre gun as its predecessor, relate to the system’s protection, mobility and communication capabilities. The new system features a cabin with enhanced protection against mines and ballistic projectiles to resist improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and small-calibre ammunition. This requirement was defined during France’s recent operations in Afghanistan and Africa’s Sahel region.
The mobility of the CAESAR MkII, meanwhile, is improved with a new engine (460 HP compared to the previous 215 HP), a new automatic gearbox, and a new chassis provided by Arquus.
The CAESAR MkII is additionally equipped with state-of-the-art fire control software, with its cabin prepared to integrate the future generation of French NCT-t radio systems.
