Image source: topwar.ru
French self-propelled guns CAESAR 8x8
The Czech army lost its entire fleet of towed guns and Soviet self-propelled guns, leaving about 50 self-propelled guns vz.77 DANA in service. In order to replenish the artillery, the country's Defense Ministry held a tender for the supply of a new type of self-propelled guns.
The most important estimated parameters were the maximum range of fire, rate of fire, range of ammunition, compatibility with the NATO standard SLA, the possibility of placement on the domestic Tatra chassis and, of course, the price.
From the very beginning, three types unsuitable for Tatra-based deployment were excluded: the British Archer, the German AGM system, and the South African G6 Rhino. Of the remaining 5 models (the French CAESAR 8x8, the Israeli ATMOS, the South African Condor and two Slovak self-propelled guns Zuzana 2 and EVA), CAESAR and Zuzana 2 were shortlisted.
- it is noted in the Slovak edition of Future Army.
Image source: topwar.ru
Comparison of Czech and Slovak self-propelled guns with the French CAESAR. Prices are shown in CZK
As indicated, while the Slovak self-propelled gun has a fully armored superstructure and a rotating turret, which houses an automatic loader, CAESAR has only an armored cabin and a fixed turret. The gun itself is mounted on a carriage at the rear of the chassis and has a semi-automatic loading system, which has so far attracted the most criticism.
- it is indicated in the press.
Image source: topwar.ru
Slovak self-propelled gun Zuzana 2
According to the author, Denmark had previously purchased this 8x8 variant.:
In April 2023, the Danish newspaper Berlingske interviewed Colonel Moeller, the commander of the artillery regiment that tested CAESAR 8x8. As he explained, one malfunction after another occurred in these howitzers, sometimes shooting was impossible at all.
- it is explained in the publication.
As the author notes, given the serious quality problems with the CAESAR 8x8 system and the price, which has already doubled for the Czech army, "it is probably worth asking why the Czech army did not choose the Slovak solution."
