France plans to replace CAESAR with new AI-powered artillery system to maintain tactical advantage in drone-dominated conflicts.

As confirmed by a French parliamentary report submitted by Deputies Jean-Louis Thiériot and Matthieu Bloch on April 30, 2025, a detailed technical-operational study aimed at preparing the successor to France’s CAESAR artillery system is scheduled for launch in 2025. This initiative reflects growing concern within the French defense establishment that current and planned artillery capabilities, even with the introduction of the CAESAR Mk2, will not fully address the strategic and operational requirements expected in the 2040s.
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The study to replace the Caesar is expected to center on four key axes of development: increased firing range, enhanced automation, greater precision, and advanced robotic integration. (Picture source: French Army)

The study is expected to center on four key axes of development: increased firing range, enhanced automation, greater precision, and advanced robotic integration. It is being launched independently of the delayed Franco-German Common Indirect Fire System (CIFS), which has now been pushed back to a notional 2045 delivery timeline.

As of December 31, 2023, the French Army maintained 78 155mm artillery systems, a number that included both the older CAESAR Mk1 models and the tracked AUF1 howitzers. Since then, the CAESAR inventory has been reduced due to transfers to Ukraine, where the system has been well-received by Ukrainian artillery units. According to General Éric Lendroit, commander of the artillery coalition for Ukraine, Ukrainian forces have praised the CAESAR for its high mobility, rapid deployment and withdrawal capabilities, precision, resilience under sustained fire, and robustness in field repair scenarios.

Its 600-kilometer autonomy, compact dimensions that reduce detection risks, and lack of tracked footprints were all cited as operational advantages over similar foreign systems. Currently, the French Army operates 63 CAESAR systems and 32 AUF1s. However, the AUF1 fleet is slated for retirement following a decision made in March 2025, with the schedule contingent on CAESAR delivery timelines. Twelve CAESARs are expected to be delivered before summer 2025 to replenish stocks following Ukrainian donations.

KNDS France, the manufacturer of the CAESAR, reported to the parliamentary commission that fewer than 10% of the systems in Ukraine were out of service, far fewer than comparable foreign models. The CAESAR also maintains a system availability of over 60%, notably higher than Germany’s PzH 2000, which was reported to have only a 32% availability rate after five months of deployment. These metrics underscore the system’s reliability in sustained combat environments, yet they have not deterred French defense planners from initiating work on a future artillery platform to meet emerging challenges.

The next major step in French artillery modernization is the delivery of 32 CAESAR Mk2 systems, expected by the end of 2026. These will feature significantly improved protection for the crew through a better-armored cabin, a more powerful 460-horsepower engine (up from 215 hp), a new chassis, and upgraded fire control software leveraging artificial intelligence. The 2024–2030 Loi de Programmation Militaire (LPM) sets a target of 109 CAESAR Mk2 systems in service by the end of the decade. However, this program does not represent the final stage of France’s artillery transformation. Acknowledging technological developments and lessons from recent high-intensity conflicts such as the war in Ukraine, French lawmakers are already pressing for a successor system designed from the ground up to dominate future battlefields.

KNDS France, the manufacturer of the CAESAR, reported to the parliamentary commission that fewer than 10% of the systems in Ukraine were out of service, far fewer than comparable foreign models. (Picture source: Ukrainian 155th Mechanized Brigade)

Originally, the French Ministry of Armed Forces aimed to develop this next-generation artillery system in partnership with Germany through the CIFS program. However, other joint projects between Paris and Berlin, such as the Main Ground Combat System (MGCS) and Future Combat Air System (FCAS), have experienced repeated delays, causing frustration in both capitals. The CIFS project has now been officially postponed from a target year of 2040 to 2045. Compounding this issue is the fact that the German Army appears to have already committed to the RCH155, an advanced 155mm wheeled howitzer produced by KNDS Germany. This self-propelled gun, considered a “high-end” solution, is positioned as Germany’s artillery platform of the future, potentially sidelining the CIFS altogether.

In response to these developments, Deputies Thiériot and Bloch are advocating for a national solution that would ensure sovereign control over the design and production of France’s next artillery platform. They argue that France must not delay preparation for the CAESAR’s replacement until it becomes fully dependent on a multinational program that may not materialize in time or align with French operational doctrine. Their proposed study, set to begin in 2025, is intended as the first stage of this nationally led effort.

France’s need to modernize its artillery is also driven by the global acceleration in artillery capabilities. South Korea’s Hanwha has introduced the K9A3, an upgraded variant of the widely exported K9 Thunder. The K9A3 will feature a 58-caliber 155mm gun capable of achieving ranges up to 80 kilometers, twice the standard CAESAR’s range. It will be highly automated and optionally crewless, emphasizing survivability, rate of fire, and reduced manpower. France’s study is expected to explore similar technologies, including automated loading systems, extended-range ammunition, and platform-level AI for command and control functions.

The upcoming French study will likely explore platforms that can survive in environments saturated with counter-battery radars, electronic warfare, and drone surveillance. The study's emphasis on range, automation, precision, and robotization reflects these priorities. Observers anticipate that the successor system may also integrate features like shoot-and-scoot capability, fiber-optically guided projectiles resilient to GPS jamming, and modular launchers compatible with both artillery shells and long-range guided munitions.

Ultimately, the decision to pursue a national successor to CAESAR, independent of the delayed CIFS, reflects a broader trend within French strategic planning. The government is increasingly focused on resilience, autonomy, and adaptability in the face of a rapidly shifting threat environment. The 2025 study will help ensure that France retains its place among leading artillery powers, with a new system expected to enter service sometime after 2040.