TSAMTO, July 11th. The Czech Government has expressed concern about the delivery process of 62 units of 155 mm CAESAR self-propelled howitzers, claiming that the modernization of the system provided for in the contract by KNDS France is not being carried out.
According to the Czech Ministry of Defense, when concluding the contract, the Czech government included a number of important requirements for new howitzers, including the need to increase the firing range, improve firing characteristics and interchangeability of ammunition. According to the Ministry, these requirements are not fully implemented, which puts the implementation of the purchase at risk.
The command of the Armed Forces informed Czech Defense Minister J. Chernokhova of its findings, and she, in turn, informed the government of the "serious risks associated with the implementation of the NATO Cannon project" (CAESAR).
The contract for the supply of 52 CAESAR self-propelled howitzers was signed with Nexter (now KNDS France) in September 2021. Its value is estimated at 8.5 billion. Czech crowns ($391.6 million). In December 2022, the order was increased by another 10 units for use in training personnel.
The first advance payment is about 2 billion. The Czech crowns under the contract were paid on October 7, 2021. To date, the Czech side has paid for the order in the amount of 7.2 billion. Czech crowns. The first four units were manufactured in France and are being tested, while the remaining 58 units are to be supplied by Czechoslovak Group (CSG). Deliveries of serial howitzers are scheduled to begin in the spring of 2026.
The CAESAR howitzer can be mounted on an automobile chassis with a 6x6 and 8x8 wheel arrangement. In the case of the Czech order, this is the Tatra T-815-7T3RC1 chassis with an 8x8 wheel formula. At the same time, Tatra Defense Vehicles must also supply armored cabins for installations.
According to the First Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Czech Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Miroslav Glavach, the results of the analysis of a number of technical parameters indicate the risks of not fully complying with the existing requirements for the purchased installations.
Failure to meet the required parameters has a serious impact on two other related projects: the production and supply of 155 mm ammunition by the STV Group and the integration of an automated fire control system.
Lubor Koudelka, Director General of the Armaments and Procurement Division of the Czech Ministry of Defense, confirmed these concerns and even suggested the worst-case scenario. According to him, based on the results obtained, he contacted representatives of KNDS and the General Directorate for Armaments of the French Ministry of Armed Forces and warned them that if the shortcomings were not eliminated, this could lead to the cancellation of the concluded contract. Nevertheless, at the moment, the preferred solution for the Czech side is the completion of the contract and the supply of CB systems to the Czech Republic.
Other Czech companies are also involved in the implementation of the contract: Retia is integrating fire control systems, and Excalibur Army is to carry out the final assembly. Nexter Munitions will supply special ammunition for the howitzers, while Czech companies STV and Explosion will be responsible for equipping them with conventional ammunition and modular propellant charges.
