Development work of CAESAR 8x8 self-propelled howitzers for Czech Army begins.

As reported by Colonel Magdalena Dvořáková, last week, two teams of Czech howitzer specialists met on the premises of the 13th Artillery Regiment. One was assembled from experts from the French company Nexter, the manufacturer of the CAESAR 8x8 155 mm self-propelled howitzer 8x8, the other from the Czech MoD Force Development Section. Together they form the technical council. Its goal is, in cooperation with an integrated working team, to acquire 52 of these howitzers by the end of 2026.
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52 CAESAR 8x8 self-propelled howitzers will equip the Czech artillery (Picture source: Nexter)

The first meeting of the Technical Board took place in November 2021in France. Nexter presented its production facilities and equipment. These were mainly laboratories, 3-D modeling equipment and SW equipment.

"Immediately after the new year, we transported our equipment to France as part of a working group to scan it, which will be added to self-propelled howitzers to ensure specific capabilities such as connection, decontamination or self-defense of the operators. This event will significantly shorten all work in the process of modeling the cabin and external storage areas of the howitzer than if the images were laboriously created by rendering", commented Colonel Jan Cífka from the MoD Force Development Section.

The second meeting took place at the site of the future user. Other artillerymen should receive a total of 48 French artillery pieces. The other four will be for training purposes in Vyškov. "We plan that the technical council will meet quarterly until the military trials. Our task is to materialize the plan of the Czech howitzer Nexter. The French team in Jince and Jaroměř got acquainted with our possibilities and abilities to perform maintenance and repairs. They inspected our workshops and technology parks. We discussed individual kits for howitzer repairs and maintenance. Our requirements for these kits differ from the French or Danish ones. We want to be more self-sufficient. It will save costs and we have enough staff, "comments Cífka. They also inspected the self-propelled cannon howitzer ShKH vz. 77 caliber 152 mm DANA. It is 40 years old and has a caliber of 152 mm, half the range and is technically and morally obsolete.

"After the process of planning, selecting and signing the contract, we finally proceed to the practical implementation of the howitzer project. The current step is the partial modification of the gun parts for the needs of the army and the 13th Artillery Regiment", adds Cífka.

"We also dealt with 3-D model cab processing. For example, how the crew will be deployed in the cabin and how the individual equipment will be”, comments Colonel Cífka during the first meeting of the working team in the Czech Republic. The military trials, which will end in precision firing, are scheduled for the end of 2024. Until then, the integrated working team led by Colonel Cífka must meet all the requirements that will meet the Czech specifications.

The technical advice was also supplemented by specialists from the 13th Artillery Regiment, who will be actively involved in the implementation of the CAESAR self-propelled howitzer project. "The whole regiment is actively preparing for rearmament for a new howitzer", said Colonel Milan Kalina, commander of the Jinka regiment.

"It is an honor and a commitment for us to do everything in our power to supply CAESAR howitzers to meet all the needs of the Czech army," commented Olivier Brousmiche, project manager of the Czech howitzer at Nexter Systems.

The value of the contract is CZK 8.51 billion, including VAT. Deliveries are planned for 2025-26. The contract will include 52 155mm ShH CAESAR CZ, a comprehensive set of simulators, service kits, training of instructors and technical staff, a set of spare parts.

CAESAR 8x8 self-propelled howitzer for the Czech artillery (Picture source: Nexter)