Future Artillery 2024: CAESAR Mk II SPH to be unveiled at Eurosatory

The CAESAR 6×6 Mk II NG SPH will make its debut at Eurosatory 2024. (Nexter)

The CAESAR 6×6 Mk II New Generation (NG) self-propelled howitzer (SPH) will be unveiled at the Eurosatory 2024 defence exhibition to be held in Paris from 17 to 21 June, Janes learnt at Defence iQ's Future Artillery 2024 conference being held in the French capital from 21 to 23 May.

Janes understands that the SPH is undergoing trials. Development of the CAESAR Mk II has been under way since it was launched in December 2021.

The Direction Générale de l'Armement (DGA), the French defence procurement agency, awarded Nexter a contract for 109 CAESAR 6×6 Mk II NG SPHs, KNDS announced on 2 February. It is scheduled to replace the French Army's AuF1 tracked SPHs and CAESAR Mk Is from 2026 to 2031. The order is foreseen by France's Loi de Programmation Militaire 2024–2030 military funding programme. Belgium has ordered 28 CAESAR Mk IIs.

CAESAR NG is equipped with a 155 mm, 52-calibre gun with a range of up to 40 km and has improved mobility and a new armoured cabin with level 2 mine and ballistic protection against improvised explosive devices, mines, infantry weapons, and artillery fire. It has an automatic gearbox and a 460 hp engine (compared with 215 hp for CAESAR Mk I) with improved offroad performance.

For more information on CAESAR, please seeCAESAR 155 mm/52-calibre.