Czech army needs to acquire new artillery howitzers compliant NATO.

The Czech Defense Ministry plans to purchase 50 new self-propelled howitzers with a budget of $490 million. The Czech army news a new capacity of artillery system fully compatible with NATO standard in terms of caliber, communication and firing range.

Czech Army DANA 152mm 8x8 self-propelled howitzer (Picture source Army Recognition)

Czech Company EXCALIBUR ARMY has developed an upgraded type of the DANA 152mm Self Propelled Gun Howitzer vz.77, called DANA-M1. The implemented upgrade items keep the well established combat & service features of the DANA system unchanged and at the same time transform the weapon into an up-to-date and more powerful system.

The DANA-M1 CZ boasts an unbeatable rate of fire, greater firing accuracy, excellent vehicle mobility and reliable operation of the system.

Slovak Defense Industry has also developed a modernized version of the DANA using a new NATO standard main gun 155mm 45 caliber, under the name of ZUZANA.

DANA M1 152mm 8x8 self-propelled howitzer, modernized version of DANA manufactured by the Czech Company Excalibur (Picture source Army Recognition)

The ZUZANA 155mm wheeled self-propelled howitzer features long range, high accuracy and rate of fire, prompt preparation for firing and high level of mobility ensured by a modified TATRA 8x8 chassis. Design of the gun enables to use any NATO standard 155mm ammunition available on the market.

The ZUZANA Fire Control System enables the capacity of Multiple Round Simultaneous Impact (MRSI) mode. One of the unique features of ZUZANA is that the gun is mounted externally in between two totally separated compartments of the turret. This makes the crew inherently safe from any potentially dangerous mechanics of the gun and autoloader plus the crew is protected from the gases generated during firing.

Currently the artillery units of the Czech army are equipped with 95 M-77 DANA 152mm wheeled self-propelled howitzers, 35 M1982 PRAM-L 120mm towed mortar, 8 SPM-85 PRAM-S 120mm self-propelled mortar carrier based on the Soviet-made BMP-1 IFV Infantry Fighting Vehicle tracked chassis, 19 81-MK2-KM 81mm towed mortar and 8 ANTOS towed 60mm.

ZUZANA 155mm 8x8 self-propelled howitzer, modernized version of DANA manufactured by the Slovak Defense Industry (Picture source Army Recognition)