Nexter proposes CAESAR for US Army's mobile howitzer competition

Nexter is joining the field vying to win the US Army’s towed howitzer replacement competition, and is proposing its CAmionÉquipé d’un Système d’ARtillerie (CAESAR) truck-mounted 155 mm artillery system, Janes has learned.

The company submitted its proposal to the service in October and included information on both the 6×6 and 8×8 truck chassis versions. The former is currently on the Arquus Sherpa Medium and Mercedes-Benz/Soframe UNIMOG U2450L, while the 8×8 is on the Tatra Trucks FORCE T815-7 chassis.

For now, the French contractor said it is competing on its own but noted that it may opt to partner with a US company or use a US chassis.

The CAESAR system can be equipped with a protected cab, inertial navigation system, muzzle velocity radar, ammunition and charge loading system, thermal camera for direct firing, improvised explosive device (IED) jamming unit, communications suite, and a ballistic computer. Provisions are also available to link it with artillery command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence (C4I) systems.

The French Army CAESAR 6×6 was previously deployed to operations in Afghanistan, Lebanon, Mali, and Iraq. (Victor Barreira)