Denel artillery reaches new milestone.

Denel's expertise in long-range artillery was on display last week when record distances and unmatched accuracy were achieved during testing in the Northern Cape.

T5 firing test (Picture source: Denel)

Long-range guns manufactured by Denel Land Systems (DLS) used ammunition produced by Rheinmetall Denel Munition (RDM) to reach targets at an average range of 76.2km. The tests were conducted at the Alkantpan Test Range and witnessed by local and international military representatives, government agencies and defence industry observers.

Danie du Toit, the Group CEO of Denel, says this is a new milestone in long-range artillery capability. The test results exceeded expectations, both in distances achieved and accuracy. It underscores Denel's reputation in the design and manufacturing of world-class artillery and the manufacturing of ammunition which enables it to reach long-range targets with unrivalled precision.

The main artillery systems used during the testing were the Denel G6-52 self-propelled howitzer and a German PZH2000 self-propelled howitzer. The ballistic system is based on the technology developed in the late 1990s and has been consistently improved over the past two decades. "The artillery produced by Denel Land Systems is still considered to be the yardstick against which all other long-range systems are measured," says du Toit. "With the latest tests we have raised the bar even further and I have no doubt that defence forces and potential customers will take note of our achievements."

The projectiles used for the tests were V-LAP ammunition designed and manufactured by Rheinmetall Denel Munition for high-firing pressures and muzzle velocities.