On December 29, 2022, during a visit to Paris, Lithuanian Minister of National Defense Arvydas Anushauskas signed contractual agreements with French Minister of the Armed Forces Sebastian Lecornu on Lithuania's accession to the program for the development of a new 155 mm/52 wheeled 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 the French Armed Forces, and the acquisition of 18 CAESAR Mk II units for the Lithuanian armed forces. Their delivery to Lithuania should be made in 2027.
Render image of the French 155 mm/52 perspective wheeled self-propelled howitzer Nexter CAESAR Mk II (c) Nexter SystemsEarlier, on June 13, 2022, the Ministers of the military departments of both countries signed an agreement of intent regarding Lithuania's accession to the CAESAR Mk II self-propelled howitzer development program and Lithuania's purchase of 18 units.
Now the Lithuanian side reports that the cost of this project, including the purchase of 18 self-propelled guns, is estimated for it from 110 to 150 million euros. [...]
It is stated that in the Lithuanian army, the CAESAR Mk II self-propelled guns purchased should be received to replace the outdated towed 105 mm M101 howitzers (transferred at one time by Denmark) in the artillery division of the motorized infantry brigade "Zhemaitiya" stationed in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 the French Nexter Systems group in February 2022 received a contract from the French DGA for the development of 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 from 2026. 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 the future, apparently, it is planned to replace all available CAESAR "first generation" self-propelled guns in the French army with the CAESAR Mk II version, receiving a total of 109 systems.
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. In June 2022, the Belgian Ministry of Defense announced its intention to order another 19 CAESAR Mk II self-propelled guns, bringing their total number to 28.
It was reported that the CAESAR Mk II of the new generation retains the basic configuration of the CAESAR artillery system on the Renault (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 460 hp diesel engine (compared to 215 hp previously), a new automatic transmission and a new reinforced chassis with new protected tires. 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.
Infographic of the French 155 mm/52 perspective wheeled self-propelled howitzer Nexter CAESAR Mk II (c) Ministry of National Defense of Lithuania
