SHAH ALAM: Back on February 10, the internet was abuzz when China state owned arms manufacturing company – Norinco – published a video of a new type of truck mounted howitzer.
Defense News chimed in with a report:
The highly automated system, which is aimed at export markets, mates a 6×6 truck chassis with an unmanned turret containing a 155mm L/52 howitzer.
The turret on the new artillery piece is identical to that used on the SH16 tracked self-propelled howitzer, a design that first appeared in Norinco’s catalog in 2022. There is no evidence the tracked SH16 exists in prototype form, but there are no such questions about the wheeled SH16 since the video showed it performing live firing.
The new platform sees the same 14-tonne SH16 unmanned turret mounted onto a 6×6 truck chassis. Norinco lists a combat weight of 32 tonnes, or 70,000 pounds. An earth spade at the rear provides stability when firing, and it is operated by just two crewmen in an armored cab.
The new turreted truck mounted howitzer has been dubbed by internet users as the SH16, a play on the SH15 truck mounted howitzer, which is very similar to the KNDS Caesar truck mounted howitzer. Do note that the SH15 is the exported designation of the truck mounted SPH, it has been reported that the howitzer is PC-181 155mm/52 caliber in China service.
The turreted mounted howitzer is similar to the BAE Systems Archer 155mm truck mounted howitzer – though it is smaller than the one on the Archer – as it features a fully automatic gun laying. This is unlike the Caesar and SH-15 which uses the semi-automatic system (manual) to load the 155mm round and its charges. There are others of course, from Slovak Republic and Serbia as well of course.
What is this got to do with us then? Not much really as the Army was not looking for a turreted truck mounted 155mm SPH. That said the Army has been looking at a truck mounted SPH since 1997 when the original Caesar was brought for firing and road trials.
And after years of vacillations, including a dabble with the M109 SPH and a direct negotiations with one of its competitors, it appears that the Caesar has finally crossed the finishing line. When is what remains now.
— Malaysian Defence
If you like this post, buy me an espresso. Paypal Payment
View Comments (33)
If the government finally gives the green light for SPH. how many units are required by the army ?
18 SPH plus around 50 or so support vehicles.
I hope thats SPH and LMSB2 winner will be announced on DSA this may
The PCL181 is called the SH15, not SH16.
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/C_hwyEM8h1o/maxresdefault.jpg
This new SPH is fully auto, similar to the BAE ARCHER.
Disadvantage of such fully auto system is the weight, which norico list as 32 tons. This makes movement by air difficult if not impossible.
Also something that needs to be taken into consideration is the operational readiness of such a complex system like the SPH.
Indonesia for example, has issues maintaining high operational readiness of its SPH and Astros systems.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F-YUi0jbEAAWaST.jpg
CAESAR has its own issues in Ukraine too
Good news, but I thought the Yavuz was a definite. Maybe being C-130 transportable was the clincher.
Next batch, we should consider the SH15. Can get 3-4 battalions for the same amount of money maybe more.
Hahaha so this article was simply a red herring for the announcement that we are finally Finally FINALLY getting Caesars after all. It comes to no surprise when alternative deals keeps getting scuppered by each successive Govts, well lets just see if this deal will outlive Madani Govt and still see light with the next. So far the M109 was the ones coming closest that TDM could sniff a SPH. Hopefully this Ceasar deal can finally close this political football (or maybe not, we shall continue to see!).
Is it just me or the Norinco SH16 looks more like the Zuzana 2 SPH?
https://mil.in.ua/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/zuzana.webp
@TomTom
"I thought the Yavuz was a definite"
Depends on which Govt pursued a deal for it. Hint: its not the current one.
>M109 readiness being that low
We really dodged the bullet lmao
Also interesting that TNI still maintains its mountain gun. I guess they still cling to the "run to the mountains and conduct insurgency operation from there" doctrine when facing superior enemy