TSAMTO, August 8. The Spanish Ground Forces have shown interest in purchasing 155 mm CAESAR self-propelled artillery units (CAmion Equipe d'un Systeme d'Artillerie) manufactured by NEXTER Systems.
As reported by Armyrecognition.com with reference to a French resource Opex360.com A commission from the 12th field artillery group of the 12th mechanized brigade "Guadarrama" at the end of July visited the 40th Artillery Regiment of the French Army (based in the Department of Marne) in order to familiarize themselves with the equipment in service.
The French regiment is equipped with 155 mm CAESAR self-propelled howitzers, 120 mm mortars, light armored vehicles with MISTRAL MANPADS, MURIN tactical ground radars, SMDR unmanned aerial reconnaissance complexes and ATLAS artillery reconnaissance and fire control system.
According to French columnist Laurent Lagno, the visit took place immediately after the creation of a working group within the Spanish Army, whose task is to determine the capabilities of artillery in future conflicts. The new guns will eventually replace 96 units of 155 mm/39 M-109A5E self-propelled howitzers of the Spanish Army Field Artillery.
As previously reported by CAMTO, in June 2018, the Spanish Ground Forces began a program of repair and modernization in the middle of the life of the existing fleet of 96 units of 155-mm self-propelled artillery M-109A5E. The project, among other things, includes replacing the existing M284 guns with more advanced M284A2 from the presence of the US Army with an operating time of less than 500 rounds. The replacement of the guns will allow the Spanish M-109 howitzers to be operated for at least another decade. However, the replacement program for the guns that have served their service life is a temporary solution, pending the receipt of the funding necessary for the final replacement of the M-109A5E howitzers.
