On June 13, 2022, Lithuanian Minister of National Defense Arvydas Anushauskas signed an agreement of intent with French Minister of the Armed Forces Sebastian Lecornyu regarding Lithuania's accession to the program for the development of a new 155 mm/52 self-propelled howitzer CAESAR Mk II, implemented under the auspices of the General Directorate of Armaments (Direction générale de l'armement - DGA) of the Ministry of the Armed Forces of France, and Purchases of 18 CAESAR Mk II units for the Lithuanian armed forces.
Design image of the 155 mm/52 Nexter CAESAR Mk II self-propelled howitzer (c) Nexter
It was reported that a technical agreement on the participation of the Lithuanian Ministry of National Defense in the CAESAR Mk II development program is planned to be signed by July 30, in parallel, the Lithuanian side is preparing a contract with the manufacturer of the system - the French Nexter group, which also produces ammunition.
Lithuanian Minister of National Defense Arvydas Anushauskas stated that "the acquisition of a new generation CAESAR Mk II artillery system in France will be the largest project of the Lithuanian armed Forces with France in history, which will significantly strengthen the defense capability of the Lithuanian armed forces. The war in Ukraine has shown that strengthening the possibility of firing from closed positions is necessary, so providing this opportunity to the Lithuanian army is vital for us. We cannot wait for a new war."
It is also stated that in the Lithuanian army, the CAESAR Mk II self-propelled guns purchased should be received to replace the outdated towed 105 mm M101 howitzers (transferred at one time by Denmark) in the artillery division of the motorized infantry brigade "Zhemaitiya" stationed in Klaipeda.
Recall that in February 2022, the French Nexter group received a contract from the French DGA to develop an upgraded version of the "new generation" 155 mm/52 CAESAR self-propelled howitzer on a 6x6 wheeled chassis, designated CAESAR Mk II (CAESAR NG). The contract for R&D and testing is designed for four years, after which the CAESAR Mk II should be ready for mass production. At the same time, the DGA also issued a contract for the serial production of the first 33 CAESAR Mk II self-propelled guns for the French army, the total value of both contracts is 600 million euros. In May 2022, the Belgian Ministry of Defense signed a contract worth 62 million euros for the purchase of nine CAESAR Mk II with delivery in 2027.
It was reported that the CAESAR Mk II of the new generation retains the basic configuration of the CAESAR artillery system on the Arquus Sherpa 5 (6x6) wheeled chassis, and the main improvements should concern crew protection and mobility. To this end, an armored cab developed by Nexter with improved ballistic and mine protection, meeting the STANAG 4569 Level 2, will be installed on the upgraded ACS. Arquus (formerly Renault Trucks Defense) will completely redesign the chassis of the car. CAESAR Mk II will be equipped with a new diesel engine (460 hp, compared to 215 hp previously), a new automatic transmission and a new chassis. CAESAR Mk II will also receive the latest version of the software for the fire control system, and the cabin will be prepared for the installation of a new Thales CONTACT radio station.
