PzH 2000
| Panzerhaubitze 2000 | |
|---|---|
Panzerhaubitze 2000 in profile.
|
|
| Type | Self-propelled artillery |
| Place of origin | Germany |
| Service history | |
| Wars | War in Afghanistan |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 1996 |
| Unit cost | US$4.5 million |
| Produced | 1998-present |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | Combat: 55.8 t (61.5 short tons) |
| Length | 11.7 m (38 ft 5 in) |
| Width | 3.6 m (11 ft 10 in) |
| Height | 3.1 m (10 ft 2 in) |
| Crew | 5 (commander, driver, gunner, and two loaders) |
|
|
|
| Armor | welded steel, 14.5 mm resistant additional bomblet protection |
|
Main
armament |
Rheinmetall 155 mm L52 Artillery Gun 10 round/min |
|
Secondary
armament |
Rheinmetall MG3 7.62 mm machine gun |
| Engine | MTU 881 Ka-500 1,000 PS (986 hp, 736 kW) |
| Power/weight | 17.92 PS/t |
| Suspension | torsion bar |
|
Operational
range |
420 km (261 mi) |
| Speed | Road: 67 km/h (41 mph) Off-road: 45 km/h (28 mph) |
Rheinmetall 155 mm L52 Artillery Gun
(60 rounds)
The Panzerhaubitze 2000 ("armoured howitzer 2000"), abbreviated PzH 2000, is a German 155 mm self-propelled howitzer developed by Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) and Rheinmetall for the German Army. The PzH 2000 is one of the most powerful conventional artillery systems deployed in the 2010s. 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—depending on barrel heating—fire between 10 and 13 rounds per minute continuously. The PzH 2000 has automatic support for up to 5 rounds of Multiple Rounds Simultaneous Impact (MRSI). The replenishment of shells is automated. Two operators can load 60 shells and propelling charges in less than 12 minutes. PzH 2000 has also been selected by the armies of Italy, Netherlands, Greece, Lithuania and Croatia, and more orders are probable as many NATO forces replace their M109 howitzers.
In 1986 Italy, the United Kingdom, and Germany, agreed to terminate their existing development of the PzH 155-1 (SP70) program, which had run into reliability problems and had design defects, notably being mounted on a modified tank chassis. A new Joint Ballistics Memorandum of Understanding (JBMOU) for a 52 calibre barrel (based on a UK proposal) to replace 39 calibre was nearing agreement. German industry was asked for proposals to build a new design with gun conforming to the JBMOU. Of the proposed designs, Wegmann's was selected.
Rheinmetall designed the 155 mm 52-calibre JBMOU compliant gun, which is chromium-lined for its entire 8 metre length and includes a muzzle brake on the end. The gun uses a new modular charge system with six charges (five identical), which can be combined to provide the optimal total charge for the range to the target, as well as the conventional bagged charge systems. 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 30 km with the standard L15A2 round (a UK design for FH-70 and stockpiled by Germany for M109G and FH70), about 35 km with base bleed rounds, and at least 40 km with assisted projectiles. In April 2006 a PzH 2000 shot assisted shells (Denel V-Lap) over a distance of 56 km with a probable maximum range of over 60 km. The gun can also fire the SMArt 155 artillery round, which is used by Germany and Greece.
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Wikipedia