Brazilian army issues specifications for future 155mm self-propelled howitzers.

According to Infodefensa, the Brazilian Army approved and announced the operational, technical, logistical and industrial requirements for the purchase of thirty-six 155 mm wheeled self-propelled howitzers (VBCOAP 155 SR).
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Two of the contenders: Nexter with its CAESAR and Elbit Systems with its ATMOS (Picture source: Nexter and Elbit Systems)

The project aims to obtain a total of up to 36 of these artillery systems capable of hitting targets at distances of up to 40 kilometers, and intended to equip two to three groups of the Artillery Division and Mechanized Brigade.

According to the requirements presented by the Brazilian Army, Infodefensa reports, the 155mm system in NATO standard to purchase must have a barrel length equal to or greater than 52 calibers, with a range equal to or greater than 20 km using conventional ammunition, and 30 km with assisted ammunition.

Likewise, it is necessary that they have basic armor that provides protection to the crew compartment from the penetration of 7.62 x 51 mm caliber projectiles and have a range, on paved roads, of more than 500 km without the use of additional reservoirs and the capacity to lead and shelter the entire crew, equipped and armed, during the displacements.

They will demonstrate the ability to hit a target with a precision of fewer than 80 meters for a shot at 20 km, and 120 meters for a shot at 30 km. It must be able to get into position and shoot in less than three minutes. The continuous rate of fire shall be at least four shots per minute.

They must also have a direction and range aiming system, with the ability to be used for both direct and indirect fire and direct fire at night. They will be based on an all-wheel-drive chassis (6x6 or 8x8) on run-flat tires, capable of reaching a maximum speed of 70 km/h on paved roads.

Finally, they will have instantaneous initial velocity measurement radar and conditions to receive an automatic and independent aiming device for each SPH, equipped with true north search and an alternative means of manual insertion, in case of data transmission failure, inertial navigation and global positioning by satellite (GPS or equivalent), integrated in equipment capable of providing data, via wireless network, on the position and conditions of the part.

This project is expected to arouse the interest of several companies around the world, but two of them have already gone ahead by presenting their products to the Army, Infodefensa reports the Israeli Elbit Systems with its ATMOS and the French Nexter Group with its CAESAR Mk2.

Nexter offers the CAESAR system (Camion Équipé d'un Système d'artillerie) equipped with a 155 mm/52 caliber howitzer, which is based either on Sherpa 5 and 6A 6X6, or Tatra T815-7 8x8 platforms.

For its part, Elbit postulates the ATMOS (Autonomous Truck Mounted Howitzer System) equipped with a Soltam artillery piece with a 33, 39, 45 or 52-caliber tube that can be installed on various platforms such as 6x6 MAN and Tatra T815-7 trucks, or 8x8 KamAZ-6350 and Rheinmetall RMMV HX81.

One of its advantages, Infodefensa writes, would be that the integration of this system, in the platform chosen by EB, could be carried out in Brazil by Ares Aeroespacial e Defesa, with its embedded systems from AEL Sistemas, both of the Elbit Group, which would guarantee logistics in the country and therefore the transfer of technology.

The 6X6 version, depending on the chosen platform, could be transportable by C-130 Hercules or KC-390 Millennium aircraft.