Французская артиллерийская установка CAESAR: развитие, производство и применение.

French 155 mm artillery

The CAESAR was developed by French defense contractor GIAT Industries (now Nexter Systems) and has been exported to various countries. Units manufactured for the French Army use a 6x6 Renault Sherpa 5 chassis, while some export customers have opted for systems integrated on 6x6 Unimog U2450L or 8x8 Tatra 817 chassis. In February 2022, the French government awarded Nexter a contract for the development of a new generation CAESAR system. Marketed by the company as the CAESAR Mark II (also commonly referred to as CAESAR NG in France), 109 systems are to be delivered to the French Army between 2026 and 2030.

CAESAR was developed in the 1990s as a technology demonstrator by the French state owned company GIAT Industries, in cooperation with Lohr Industrie. It was first publicly unveiled in 1994. Four years later, a pre production model underwent trials with the French Army. In peacetime the production rate at Nexter was understood to be 10 CAESARs per year. The 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine boosted demand. By early 2023 Nexter's factory in Bourges was producing between two and four units per month in continuous operation. The next milestone expected is to produce eight CAESARs a month by December 2023. The gun uses a special kind of shell, the LU 211, which is produced at Les Forges de Tarbes, within the confines of the town arsenal. The forge was privatized in November 2021 by a French firm which had recently been recapitalized by 100M€. In 2020, the Minister of the Armed Forces signed a contract worth 25M€ for the plant to supply shells to the French Army for the decade. The privatization furnished 9M€ each year for the 2021–2024 period. In autumn 2021, the firm supplied an extra 2M€ to modernize the plant, which also produces 120 mm ammunition for the Leclerc MBT.

The CAESAR is a wheeled, 155 mm 52 caliber self propelled howitzer. It holds 18 rounds and is typically operated by a crew of five, though if necessary the CAESAR can be operated by a crew of three. It can be transported by a C 130 or an A400M aircraft. It has a firing range of approximately using an Extended Range, Full Bore (ERFB) shell, and more than using rocket assisted shells. The CAESAR has an autonomous weapon system featuring an inertial navigation system (the SIGMA 30), a ballistic computer and an optional muzzle velocity radar; the system is adaptable to any C4I system (fully integrated with the ATLAS FCS). At Eurosatory 2016, the CAESAR was exhibited with an automated laying system based on the SIGMA 30. Tailored for shoot and scoot tactics, the CAESAR is fast to set up, taking around 60 seconds for the crew to be ready to fire and 40 seconds to leave after the shots. It can fire six rounds per minute. It is fitted with an unarmoured forward control four person cabin as standard, with an optional fully armoured cabin. Gross vehicle weight would depend on the level of armour protection but is about 30 tonnes. It is powered by a 410 hp diesel engine and can hold 36 rounds. It was unveiled by Nexter at DSEI 2015.

In February 2022, Nexter was awarded an initial €600 million contract by the French defence procurement agency (the DGA) for the development and acquisition of the CAESAR 6x6 Mark II new generation artillery system. The deal initiates a four year development phase, after which the CAESAR Mark II (or CAESAR NG) will enter production. In January 2024, the DGA announced it had awarded Nexter an additional €350 million contract on December 30, 2023. 109 CAESAR NG systems are to be produced for the French Army. Nexter, the industrial prime contractor, will be working in particular with Arquus (chassis) and Safran (electronics), the main partners involved in the development and implementation of this program. From mobility to connectivity, and from ballistic protection to increased firing efficiency, as well as accuracy further refined by artificial intelligence, the improvements remain those set out in 2022 when the program is launched.

Eight CAESARs were sent to Afghanistan during the summer of 2009 to support French operations. They were deployed on 1 August 2009 by the 3rd Marine Artillery Regiment (3è RAMa), followed by five others, deployed as a firebase in FOB Tora, Tagab and Nijrab. They are fitted with cabin armor add ons, with fireports. The French Army deployed this system in southern Lebanon as part of the UNIFIL peacekeeping force. During Operation Serval in Mali, four CAESARs were deployed by the 68e régiment d'artillerie d'Afrique (68th African Artillery Regiment). In April 2011, the Royal Thai Army used the CAESAR against Cambodia's BM 21. The Thai Army claimed that they destroyed two or more BM 21 systems. Several CAESARs were deployed in Mali by France during Operation Serval, in which they saw action in the Battle of Ifoghas, amongst others. France also deployed four CAESAR to Iraq for the Battle of Mosul, where French forces supported the Iraqi Army's operation to reclaim Mosul from ISIS from October 2016 to July 2017. Multiple CAESAR were deployed to Iraq on the border with Syria from 8 November 2018 to April 2019 to support the Syrian Democratic Forces in the Battle of Baghuz Fawqani, the ultimately successful operation to capture the final town held by the Islamic State group. They were deployed to Firebase Saham, a base freshly constructed by the United States Army to provide fire support during the battle, especially during cloudy days when U. S. aircraft could not see to conduct airstrikes. CAESAR howitzers may have been used by the Saudi Arabia National Guard during the Saudi led intervention in Yemen along the Saudi Yemeni frontier, conducting defensive shelling of Houthi forces as well as backing up Yemeni government troops and Saudi armed forces in their progression into Yemeni territory. France provided the CAESAR 6x6 howitzer to Ukraine from May 2022 onwards in the context of the Russo Ukrainian War, delivering a total of 30 units. Denmark also announced it had delivered all its 19 CAESAR 8x8 to Ukraine in April 2023 onwards. As of January 2024, 5 CAESARs were confirmed to have been destroyed (4 CAESAR 6x6 and 1 CAESAR 8x8) and a further 2 damaged and repaired.

Belgian Land Component: Following the acquisition of the Griffon and Jaguar within the CaMo program, Belgium decided in 2021 to order 9 CAESAR NG 6x6 howitzers in a contract of approximately €48 million. In June 2022 a €62 million contract was signed for an additional 19 CAESAR NG. Delivery of the first units is expected in 2027. Czech Land Forces: In June 2020, Nexter won a €200 million contract to provide the CAESAR 8x8 to the Czech Army. 52 systems integrated on the Czech Tatra 815–7T3RC1 8×8 chassis were ordered. 10 additional units were ordered in December 2022. French Army: 109 CAESAR NG are on order for the French Army and will be delivered from 2026 onwards. Lithuanian Land Forces: In June 2022 Lithuania joined the CAESAR NG (Mk2) program with an order for 18 units, with first deliveries expected in 2026. Malaysian Army: Offered by KNDS in May 2024, and to be assembled and integrated in the industrial facilities of ADSSB in Segamat.

Royal Danish Army: On 14 March 2017 the CAESAR 8x8 was chosen to become the new artillery system of the Royal Danish Army. 15 howitzers were ordered in May 2017 and an additional 4 in October 2019 for a total of 19 CAESAR units. Delivery of the first 15 units was expected to take place by summer 2020 but the COVID pandemic led to the delivery of a first batch being delayed to spring 2021, with delivery of all 19 units expected in 2023. However, following discussions with France, Denmark decided on 19 January 2023 to donate all systems to Ukraine in the context of the 2022 Russian invasion. The capability gap that arose from this decision led to a new bid for which Nexter, once again, and Israel's Soltam Systems competed. Denmark opted for the ATMOS 2000 system over the CAESAR, with the production backlog of the CAESAR and Soltam's ability to quickly deliver the howitzers being cited among the reasons for said choice. Denmark's interest in purchasing 8 PULS rocket artillery systems from Elbit Systems as well as the fact that it already operated the Cardom 120 mm self propelled mortar, which is produced by Soltam as well, had reportedly also favored the acquisition of the ATMOS as it meant having a sole supplier (Israel) for the artillery segment.

Brazilian Army: The CAESAR was offered to the Brazilian Army as part of the "VBCOAP 155mm SR" program for the acquisition of 36 self propelled howitzers. Among the competitors are the Brazilian project "Sistema de Artillería 155mm/52 AP SR Tupã" by Avibras Aeroespacial, potentially the Artillery Gun Module by KMW (derived from the PzH2000) The other, and main competitor is the ATMOS 2000 presented by Elbit Systems. Elbit is a strong competitor as it has subsidiaries in Brazil (ARES Aerospacial e Defesa and AEL Sistemas) which would guarantee the logistical support and a technology transfer. The ATMOS 2000 won the competition in April 2024. National Army of Colombia: The Caesar was one of the competitors of the program "Soberana", intended to provide the future 155 mm artillery system. The other competitors were the ATMOS 2000 and the Turkish Yavuz SPh 6x6 by MKE. On 1 January 2023, Indodefensa announced that the Colombian Army favored the French system and that the government was about to notify the contract for the Caesar 6x6 to Nexter for US$101.7 million. However, on 3 January 2023, Colombia announced the order of 18 ATMOS 2000 for US$101.7 million. It was reported the value of the CAESAR contract notified by Nexter exceeded the budget allocated to the program, leading to the negotiations falling through and Colombia choosing the ATMOS instead. Norwegian Army: In January 2016, Norway had shortlisted CAESAR, the K9 Thunder, the PzH 2000 and a modernized version of the M109 Paladin proposed by Switzerland's RUAG to replace the 18 M109A3GN self propelled guns in service with the Norwegian Armed forces. The K9 was selected for purchase in December 2017. British Army: The army was looking for a replacement for the AS 90 tracked self propelled howitzers by 2032 (under a project named Mobile Fire Platform). All types of self propelled howitzers were being considered. 116 units are to be acquired. The UK had already acquired 14 Archer Artillery Systems as a short term solution to replace the 30 AS 90 transferred to Ukraine. The 8x8 Archer variant is offered as part of the MFP program. Other prominent bidders included Hanwha Aerospace with its K9 Thunder and KNDS (Nexter and KMW) with the 8x8 CAESAR and the RCH 155. In April 2024, the United Kingdom selected the RCH 155.

Indian Army: The army is looking to modernize its artillery. The Field Artillery Rationalisation Plan defined in 2021 the way to be followed, focusing on the Made in India. The Indian Army is expecting 814 truck mounted guns (MGS program = multi terrain gun system). An RFI was issued on 3 April 2021, with the intent to acquire a truck mounted howitzer capable of being deployed in deserts, high altitude and mountainous terrains. CAESAR was offered in 2014 as part of a collaboration between Nexter Systems & Larsen & Toubro. The system is mounted on an Ashok Leyland Super Stallion 6x6. India was initially interested in an MGS, 200 that would be ordered off shelf, and later 614 manufactured locally. The tender initially opened to foreign bidders was, however, scrapped for the sake of the Make in India initiative, favoring local designs. United States Army & United States Marine Corps: The Army was interested in a mobile platform. Some "Mobile Howitzer Trials and Shoot Off" had been occurring in 2021. but ultimately did not move forward with acquiring a wheeled howitzer system.