Germany PZH2000 Vehicle MBT

Germany’s Bundesheer has the first fielded L52 solution, ordering 185 Rheinmetall/KMW PzH 2000 self-propelled systems. The system’s 155 mm/52 calibre ordnance has achieved range of 60km, using a Denel-developed munition. Using other rounds, ranges of as little as 2.7km can be achieved in the indirect
role. It carries one of the highest number of rounds on board, with 60 complete projectiles carried, with the system achieving sustained rates of fire of ten rounds per minute, with the first three rounds fired in under ten seconds.
In Europe, users have largely followed Germany’s example in adopting the PzH2000 to replace their fleets of M109s, with Greece, Netherlands, Italy becoming users. The Netherlands has deployed a small number of systems operationally in Afghanistan. Italy achieved its Initial Operating Capability with its first PzH 2000
battery in September. A total of 70 are being built under license by Oto Melara.

KMW has also developed its fully automatic, 30 round Autonomous Gun module (AGM) using the same weapon system as the PzH2000. This unmanned, automated design was originally launched on a M270 MLRS chassis but at Eurosatory in June 2008, Donar, a collaboration with General Dynamics Santa Bárbara Sistemas based on the ASCOD 2 IFV was shown for the first time. For its part, Rheinmetall has developed three solutions based on the PzH2000; the RT-52 turreted gun, the RWG-52 wheeled SP howitzer and the
RFH-52 towed howitzer, with immediate interest focusing on India’s requirements, working with Denel.

Germany PZH2000

PZH2000