Panzerhaubitze 2000
The Panzerhaubitze 2000, or PzH 2000 for short, is a 155mm self-propelled howitzer developed by Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) together with Rheinmetall for the German Army. It is arguably the most powerful artillery system currently deployed. It is particularly notable for a very high rate of fire; in burst mode it can fire three rounds in 9 seconds, ten rounds in 56 seconds, and can fire between 10 and 3 rounds per minute continuously depending on barrel heating. PzH 2000 has also been selected by the Italian, Dutch and Greek Armies, and more orders are highly likely as forces upgrade their M109 Paladins.
The loading of shells is automated, two operators should be able to load 60 shells in 12 minutes.
Development
In 1986 Italy, the United Kingdom, and Germany, agreed to terminate their existing development of the PzH 155-1 (SP 70) program, which had run into problems and was also clearly inferior to the new guns being introduced by NORICUM based on Gerald Bull's GC-45 howitzer. German industry was asked for proposals to build a new design with an even more powerful gun that would better the SP 70 requirements, based on Bull's Extended Range, Full Bore concepts. Of the returned designs, Wegmann's was clearly the best.
Rheinmetall designed the 155mm 52-calibre gun, which is chromium-lined for its entire 8 metre length and includes a muzzle brake on the end. The gun uses a new standardized charge system with six different charges, which can be combined to provide exactly the power needed and no more. Primer is loaded separately via a conveyor belt, and the entire loading, laying and clearing is completely automated. The maximum range of the gun is 30km with the standard L15A2 round (from the US M109), about 35km with base bleed rounds, and up to 40km with assisted projectiles.
Wegmann supplied both the chassis, sharing some components with the Leopard 1, and the turret for the gun. The system has superb cross-country performance and considerable protection in the case of counter-fire. The turret includes a phased array radar on the front glacis for monitoring outgoing rounds and correcting for windage. Laying can also be automatically provided via encrypted radio links from rear area command. A crew of three was needed for full operation, commander, layer and driver.
Wegman eventually won a contract in 1996 for 185 to be delivered to Germany's rapid reaction force, followed by another 410 for the main force. Wegmann and Krauss-Maffei, the two main German military tracked vehicle designers, merged in 1998.
A number of armies have tested the system and its ability to provide accurate fire at 40km has been a major selling point. In addition to sales of complete systems, the turret has been mounted on a German frigate to test it as a naval gun (the project was called Modular Naval Artillery Concept, or MONARC) and it's likely that a naval gun based on this concept will be part of the upcoming Type 125 frigate of Germany.
The British Army had also adopted the gun itself for use on upgraded version of their AS90 Braveheart system, but these plans were later put on hold and an upgraded version of the Royal Ordnance (BAE) gun chosen instead.
The PzH 2000 was considered for the US Army's Crusader concept system, but several requirements of the Crusader made it unsuitable. In particular the Crusader placed the crew and gun in separate compartments, allowing a single highly-armored crew compartment to control the firing of an entire battery of guns.
General Characteristics
- Length: 11.7 meters
- Width: 3.6 meters
- Height: 3.1 meters
- Combat weight: 55 tons
- Road speed: 60 km/h
- Typical cross country speed: 45 km/h
- Range (of the vehicle): 420 km
- Crew: 5 (commander, driver, gunner, 2 loaders)
- Armament:
- Primary: Rheinmetall 155 mm L52 Artillery Gun
- Secondary: MG3 - 7.62 × 51 mm machine gun
- Rate of fire: 3 rounds in 9 seconds, 10 rounds per minute maximum, 5 rounds per minute sustained
- Range (of the artillery fire): 30,000 meters, 40,000 meters with rocket-assisted projectile
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