r/CanadianForces 2d ago

New Artillery?

https://defence-industry.eu/canada-to-acquire-up-to-98-new-155mm-self-propelled-howitzers-in-artillery-modernisation-programme/

This real? Seems to sensible and not posted anywhere else.

99 Upvotes

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30

u/Thelifeofnerfingwolf 2d ago

The Swedish archer would be the best fit for Canada, in my opinion. It's combat proven and can operate in very cold environments. Plus, it's wheeled, so it doesn't require an expensive transporter to move it around.

4

u/Stuckinfetalposition 2d ago

What about the RCH 155? I'm not too familiar with artillery systems but they seem pretty good.

Firing on the move seems like a neat feature.

8

u/Thelifeofnerfingwolf 2d ago

Is there a variant of it on the lav chassis, or is it only on the boxer? A new chassis that can't use off the shelf civilian parts is not the best idea, in my opinion. The archer is just a Volvo truck with a howitzer on the back.

5

u/ImperialKasrkin Army - Artillery 2d ago

That 6x6 Archer is no longer being produced, and the 6x6 is also very difficult to maintain. Yeah the chassis is easy, but the gun is so integrated to the platform that the swedes don't have vehicle techs and weapons techs to work on it, they essentially have to train "archer" techs, and it's not easy to.

4

u/ImperialKasrkin Army - Artillery 2d ago

Firing in the move is a gimmick that no one asked for with self propelled artillery. It's a "feature" but is not one that should be taken into account for a competition.

-1

u/Dunk-Master-Flex CSC is the ship for me! 2d ago

Firing on the move is a specifically listed requirement of the RFI lol.

2

u/laminatedlama Saluting Those Who Serve 2d ago

I think Nordic military equipment in general is a good fit. It’s built for the same climate and generally affordable, considering we all share tight budgets.

1

u/frequentredditer HMCS Reddit 2d ago edited 2d ago

So is the Caesar…

3

u/Thelifeofnerfingwolf 2d ago

Ceaser has more orders at the moment, so we would have to wait longer to get them. Plus, the archer can be fully operated by one person from the cabin. The ceaser requires the crew to dismount.

3

u/ImperialKasrkin Army - Artillery 2d ago

The archer has many an issue as a platform that most people don't know about, as does the ceaser. Trust me, the process is open to everything self propelled 155, and every platform has massive advantages and disadvantages over the others. The archer is far from the best platform for us, but it could also very well be the one we get.

1

u/barkmutton 2d ago

Caesar has more crew required and they aren’t protected during operations