According to a video published by the Pakistani armed forces on March 23, 2022, Pakistan presents for the first time to the public its new Chinese-made SH-15 6x6 155mm self-propelled howitzer during the national day military parade that was held on March 23, 2022.
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The new SH-15 155mm 6x6 self-propelled howitzer was unveiled during the national day military parade on March 23, 2022. (Picture source Print Screen Video footage Pakistani MoD)
In December 2019, Army Recognition reported that Pakistan has planned the procurement of 236 SH-15 155 mm 6x6 wheeled self-propelled howitzers from China.
According to the military balance 2021, the Pakistani army has a total of 498 tracked self-propelled howitzers including 200 American-made M109A2, 115 M109A5, 123 M109L, and 203mm 60 M110/M110A2 mounted on tracked chassis.
In recent years, Pakistan has launched a major program to modernize its artillery forces, and like many armies in the world, Pakistan took the decision to acquire a wheeled self-propelled howitzer which is lighter than a tracked howitzer and that can be more easily deployed in the mountainous region.
Pakistan is an important customer for the Chinese defense industry and according to the SIPRI (Stockholm International Peace Research Institute) arms trade database, the Pakistani armed forces acquired a lot of Chinese military equipment including aircraft E-19, main battle tanks MBT-2000, Wing-Loong 2 UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle), VT4 main battle tank, CH-4A UAV and LY-80 air defense missile systems.
The SH15 is a new Chinese-made wheeled self-propelled howitzer based on 6x6 Shaanxi truck chassis with an armored cabin at the front and one 155 mm gun-howitzer mounted at the rear of the truck. This new howitzer is protected against the firing of small arms and artillery shell splinters. The crew cab has two large bulletproof windows at the front and there are two doors on each side.
The SH15 has a maximum firing range of 20 km with standard ammunition and 53 km with a rocket-assisted artillery projectile. This artillery vehicle can be operated by a crew of five. According to some military sources, the vehicle will have a maximum weight of 22 tons.
