New KMW 155m artillery gun module mounted on truck chassis at Singapore AirShow 2018.

At Singapore AirShow 2018, the German Defense Company KMW (Krauss-Maffei Wegmann), a subdivision of KNDS (KMW+Nexter Defense Systems) presents a new version of its 155mm Artillery Mobile Gun System (self-propelled howitzer) mounted on 8x8 military truck chassis. This new artillery vehicle seems to use the same turret as the DONAR, a tracked self-propelled howitzer also developed by KMW.

KMW 155mm Artillery Gun module mounted on 8x8 IVECO military truck chassis (Picture source KMW)

The KMW 155mm Artillery Gun module on wheeled chassis is fitted with an armoured turret which has a traverse of 360°. The turret is armed with a 155 mm/L52 howitzer, fitted with a fully-automatic ammunition loading and handling system. It combines the high mobility of a military truck with the fully automatic, unmanned functionality of the remote-controlled 155 mm / L52 Artillery Gun Module. The ability to fire on 360° allows also indirect fire support.

The vehicle can carried a total of 30 ammunition stored inside of the turret. It has a maximum firing range of 30 km with standard HE (High Explosive) ammunition and 40 km with HE extended range ammunition. It can be ready to fire from a road position within 1 minute, fires 8 rounds in one minute and coming out of action 1 minute after the last round is fired.

The KMW Artillery Mobile Gun System is also capable of Multiple Round Simultaneous Impact (MRSI) firing. This artillery system can fire five rounds that hit one target simultaneously at a maximum firing range of 12,000 m.

The KMW artillery vehicle has a crew of two that can operate the system from the truck cab separate from the automatic gun module. The survivability of both crew and system is enhanced through the high degree of automation. The can of the truck can be fitted with armour kit to offer protection against ballistic threats and artillery shell splinters.

With a gross weight lighter than a tracked self-propelled howitzer, it is easily possible to transport the system in European transport military aircraft A400M or similar aircraft of this payload capacity.

Scale model of KMW 155mm Artillery Gun module mounted on 8x8 military truck chassis (Picture source Army Recognition)