At the 2024 Defence iQ Future Artillery Conference, held in Paris from 21-23 May, KNDS Deutschland and General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDELS) presented KNDS’ unmanned 155 mm, 52-calibre Artillery Gun Module (AGM) mounted on a GDELS 10×10 Piranha Heavy Mission Carrier (HMC) vehicle.
“With a gross vehicle weight of up to 40 tonnes and a turning circle of less than 18 m, thanks to four-axle steering, AGM on Piranha HMC combines outstanding tactical mobility with superior artillery firepower,” the two companies stated in a joint press release.
The AGM on a Piranha HMC can be operated by a crew of two, with the vehicle offering sufficient space for an optional third crewmember or alternatively additional storage space. The effective azimuth of the AGM integrated on the Piranha is 360°, with the companies noting that the 155 mm gun can be fired on the move.
“Thanks to its robust 10×10 multi-link chassis, no vertical prop-ups are required for firing, as is the case with other conventional wheeled howitzers,” the press release stated, adding that the AGM “offers comprehensive autonomy of the entire system in command, navigation, and fire control as well as completely new operational options thanks to its system-related stability. The decisive factor in reducing the workload for the crew is the consistent use of system-supported intelligence in conjunction with robotics.”
The combination offers a ‘shoot and scoot’ capability to avoid counter-battery fire and multiple round simultaneous impact (MRSI) fires as well as indirect and direct targeting against moving land and sea targets.
With this new wheeled self-propelled howitzer the two companies are continuing a co-operation that began with the Donar 155 mm/L52 artillery system, which was based on the tracked ASCOD platform. KNDS also offers the AGM on the 8×8 Boxer multirole armoured vehicle.
“With the same artillery module on the two leading wheeled armoured vehicle families of the Western world, both indirect fire support capabilities and interoperability within NATO signify a major capability enhancement,” the companies stated. “The collaboration between German-French KNDS and the European business unit of US-headquartered General Dynamics Corporation also strengthens transatlantic co-operation,” they added.
