New 155mm self-propelled howitzer developed in Japan.

Japan is busy with developing a 155 mm/52-calibre wheeled self-propelled howitzer (SPH) to replace its ageing FH-70 towed artillery gun, the Japanese Ministry of Defense has announced last June. Japan Steel Works reportedly started working on the development of the wheeled SPH in 2012 under a USD 100 million contract from the MoD.

Prototype of the new 155mm self-propelled howitzer. (Picture source: Japanese Acquisition, Technology ad Logistics Agency)

The Japanese MoD’s Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA) has recently taken delivery of five prototypes of the new self-propelled howitzer developed by Japan Steel Works. The new system has not received a designation yet.

ATLA will now evaluate and test the SPH based on 8x8 chassis. Compared to the FH-70, the new SPH benefit from improvements in terms of mobility, networking, navigation, and targeting. It is 11.40 m long, 2.50 m wide, a 3.40 m high. A 5-man crew is foreseen. In an image of the wheeled SPH published by ATLA, the system is integrated with a tactical military truck produced by MAN.