Self-propelled howitzer 2000

Self-propelled howitzer 2000
PzH 2000 of the Netherlands in Afghanistan
General properties
crew	5 (driver, commander, radio operator, gunner, loader)
length	11.69 m
width	3.50 m
height	3.46 m
Dimensions	49 t empty weight 57.66 t (with roof protection)
Armor and armament
Armor	Armored steel roof protection
Main armament	155 mm L / 52 howitzer with 60 projectiles and 288 propellant charge modules
Secondary armament	1 × machine gun type varies by state smoke grenade launcher
agility
drive	MTU 881 Ka-500 8-cylinder diesel engine with exhaust gas turbocharger 736 kW (1000 PS)
suspension	Torsion bar
Top speed	approx. 60 km / h road / approx. 45 km / h terrain
Power / weight	13.4 kW / t
Range	420 km driving distance

PzH 2000 in tests in the WTD 41 ; the driver is protected by an attached cabin above his hatch

The Panzerhaubitze 2000 ( PzH 2000 for short ) is a self-propelled armored artillery gun produced by the German companies Krauss-Maffei Wegmann and Rheinmetall .

It is the standard gun of the Bundeswehr artillery battalions and replaced the M109 self-propelled howitzer . The Bundeswehr received a total of 185 units between 1998 and 2003; further PzH 2000s were delivered to various European NATO member states. Compared to the previous model, the PzH 2000 has gained in military value with almost the same power to weight ratio . In particular, the effective range of the gun, target accuracy , fire rate , armor protection, independent operational capability as well as the range of the vehicle, speed and driving comfort were significantly improved.

history

development

In the mid-1960s it became clear that the existing artillery systems in NATO no longer met the increased demands on the battlefield in terms of mobility, firing range, rate of fire and protection . Thereupon Germany, Italy and Great Britain built the jointly developed field howitzer FH-155 , with which it was possible to reduce the number of different types of guns and thereby strengthen the combat effectiveness of the artillery. Another advantage of this measure was the reduction in the logistical effort. In 1973 the three states signed a government declaration with the aim of developing a new weapon system with the ballistic properties of the FH-155 and the mobility and protection level of the Leopard 1 main battle tank . In 1986, however, technical problems slowed down the PzH 155-1 program and the Panzerhaubitze 70 so that the resulting delays led to the program being discontinued. In Germany, the redevelopment began in November 1987. On behalf of the Federal Ministry of Defense , the Federal Office for Defense Technology and Procurement wrote out a test vehicle to replace the existing artillery systems. What was new about this selection process was the cooperation between the armaments companies, the Defense Technical Services (WTD) and the troops. The system of strict separation that had existed until then was abandoned. The new guidelines for the "Development and Procurement of Defense Material" (EBMAT) determined the course of development.

The consortia South: Krauss-Maffei / Porsche / KUKA and North: Wegmann / MaK were in competition , each building a test vehicle. Both systems focused on the flow of ammunition within the vehicle; the chassis was based on vehicles that were already in use. The weapon system was provided by Rheinmetall . The south group built on a six-roller drive made of components from the Leopard 2 , the north group relied on seven rollers and used the technology of the Leopard 1. Motors from MTU Friedrichshafen and shift-steering gears from MTU were used as the drive for both test vehicles Renk . During the development phase and the comparative investigations, the defense technology departments and the troops were able to actively participate and test functional models, support the armaments companies in determining data and implement necessary adjustments at an early stage. In the competition, the “ Taurus ” prototype from the southern group was able to convince with its superior driving performance. Ultimately, however, it was the turret and the better flow of ammunition that led to the North Working Group being awarded the order for four prototypes, as this criterion was seen as more important than the mileage. Wegmann & Co. acted as general contractor. Between 1991 and 1993 four identical prototypes (PT01 to PT04) were built. The chassis were made by MaK, the towers by Wegmann, where commissioning took place. From September 1993 the PT02 was used in the Wehrtechnischen Dienststelle 41 for driving tests and tested for trench crossing ability, climbing ability, vibration load, driving dynamics and mileage. The WTD 91 in Meppen undertook shooting tests with the PT01, the WTD 81 responsible for information technology and electronics checked the navigation system.

From November 1994 to March 1995, the artillery school and the tank artillery teaching battalion 95 PT01 and PT02, which existed until 2002, subjected a troop test. The focus of the tests was on the ability to use the ADLER artillery command system and the ability to meet the requirements of 3 rounds in 10 seconds and 20 rounds in 3 minutes. A total of bullets were fired in 2018. After successful tests, the two prototypes were used from April 1995 to October 1995 at the Technical School of the Army and Technical College of the Army for logistical tests, which among other things served to draft technical service regulations , test tools and special tools as well as the technical readiness for supply with spare parts to manufacture. In parallel to the experiments, PT03 and PT04 were used from 1994 to 1995 for climate testing at the Canadian military training area Shilo and at the Yuma Proving Ground in the USA. The introduction permit for the Bundeswehr was granted in 1996 and the first of the planned 185 series-produced self-propelled howitzers for 2000 were delivered to the Panzerartillery Training Battalion 345 in Kusel in 1998 . Krauss-Maffei, today's Krauss-Maffei Wegmann , acted as the general contractor . The order volume at that time was 1.7 billion DM . The MaK system company has been a subsidiary of Rheinmetall since 1990 and became Rheinmetall Landsysteme.

When giving the name, the Bundeswehr wanted to follow the traditional procedure of assigning an animal name. Among other things, the name of one of the test vehicles, Taurus, as well as rhinoceros, bull, rhinoceros and curious suggestions such as trunk were up for debate. However, since no agreement could be reached on the assignment of a name, the factory designation Panzerhaubitze 2000 was chosen.

Further development

The turret of the Panzerhaubitze 2000 was tested as part of the MONARC concept to test the possibility of introducing a new naval ship gun on two ships of the Sachsen class (F124). The introduction was waived for technical and political reasons; instead, the naval gun 127/64 Lightweight from Oto Melara is used.

Krauss-Maffei Wegmann has been working on an air-transportable artillery gun module (AGM) since 2005 . The aim of this development was to install a modified tower of the PzH 2000 on the track chassis of a lightly armored vehicle in order to be able to transport it with the Airbus A400M . The further development of this gun, which bears the name Donar , was presented in 2008 and uses an ASCOD-2 chassis instead of the MLRS chassis .

On April 18, 2006, the Panzerhaubitze 2000 fired an artillery shell over a distance of 56 km near Alkantpan ( South Africa ) as part of a shooting campaign by the Federal Office for Defense Technology and Procurement (BWB). The extended-range V-LAP ammunition manufactured by Denel is a combination of base bleed and rocket propulsion and ignites a small rocket motor after it has been fired in order to smooth out decelerating air turbulence and to further accelerate the projectile. The V-LAP ammunition can be used without adapting the weapon system.

Oto Melara has been developing a variant of the Vulcano ammunition in caliber 155 mm for the PzH 2000 of the Italian army since 2009 ; with it ranges of over 100 km could be achieved.

In March 2010 the then inspector of the army, General Hans-Otto Budde, announced that the German artillery force was to be reduced by 12 PzH 2000 for reasons of cost. A year later, as part of the realignment of the Bundeswehr, a further reduction followed: The total number of vehicles was to shrink from 148 to 81 vehicles. In the course of the changed security situation in Europe, however, it was decided at the beginning of 2016 to correct the number of units in the Bundeswehr up to 101.

crew

Gun leader's workplace

The crew of the PzH 2000 consists of five soldiers, but is fully capable of fighting with only three soldiers. The driver, the gun leader and the ammunition gunner 1 must be present in any case, the directional gunner and the ammunition gunner 2 only perform their tasks if the automatic systems fail. The gun leader is the gun commander. He oversees communication and the activities of ammunition gunner 2 and fires the gun. His place is in the back right of the tower. The gunner supervises the weapons system during normal operations and is the deputy gun leader. If necessary, especially when directing self-defense, he can manually direct the weapon system and is responsible for loading the gun together with ammunition gunner 2. The ammunition gunner 1 monitors and operates the pneumatic system and secures with the anti-aircraft machine gun during the march from his hatch . The ammunition gunner 2 monitors and operates the automatic loading system and takes over its work in the event of failure. The driver drives the gun and monitors the engine. Other tasks include maintenance work (technical service) on the tub and operation of the power generator. The crew can enter and exit the vehicle via a two-part hatch in the rear of the hull; the driver has his own hatch available.

technology

Protective device

The "hedgehog armor" in detail

The turret and hull of the vehicle are made of welded armored steel. This protects both the crew and the ammunition stored in the hull. The inside of the vehicle was lined with a so-called spall liner in order to catch splinters of the armor that come off when the vehicle is hit. The armor itself protects against fire from weapons up to 14.5 mm caliber and fragments from 152 mm artillery rounds. The top of the hull and turret can be fitted with additional protection from bomblets called "hedgehog armor". The bomblet protection consists of a rubber material. The disruptive bodies have a length of 60 mm and are intended to protect against shaped charges . The term "hedgehog armor" results from the spine shape of the disruptive bodies. The 48 shafts of the propellant charge magazine are separated from the fighting compartment by three sliding doors so as not to endanger the crew if the charges explode. In addition, there are two outlet openings in the tower roof, which are intended to divert the pressure generated in an explosion to the outside. An NBC protection system in the right rear part of the vehicle hull completes the protective equipment.

Armament and ammunition

Weapons installation and fire fighting

Exercise cartridge and propellant charges: on the left in front various detonators, behind the propellant charges. To the right of it the floors. Before that, the ignition key (in the box) and tools.

The flaps on the left and in the middle (label P) on the back of the tower cover the propellant charge magazine. The central electronics and the MICMOS system computer are located behind the right maintenance flap. The commandant's PERI-RTNL 80 panoramic periscope extended on the tower roof .

The barrel is an internally chrome-plated and laser-hardened 155 mm multi-draw barrel L / 52 (60 bars, right-hand twist ) with 52 caliber lengths . Manufactured in accordance with the Joint Ballistics Memorandum of Understanding (Ballistics Agreement), all types of 155mm NATO ammunition can be fired.

For the first time, a 12-chamber slot muzzle brake was used, as it was otherwise only used in the vehicles of the armed forces of the Warsaw Pact . The smoke extractor on the pipe keeps the fighting area free of powder gases.

An automatic loading system feeds the projectiles and places them in the barrel, and an operator inserts the modular propellant charges. The propellant charge lighters (32 in the magazine) are automatically fed into the breech block. The weapon is now ready to fire. The rate of fire is 3 rounds in 10 seconds, 10 rounds in 1 minute, 20 rounds in 2 minutes, or 8 rounds per minute for 3 minutes. With a longer application of fire, the rate of fire is limited to just under 3 shots per minute due to the thermal load on the barrel. The entire supply of bullets can be fired without interruption, since the critical temperature of 160 ° C, at which the propellant charges could self-ignite, is not reached.

The maximum range of the weapon system is 30 km with standard projectiles , 40 km with ERFB projectiles and up to 56 km with V-LAP ammunition. The straightening and swiveling is done electrically or mechanically by hand. The elevation range of the weapon is −2.5 ° to + 65 °. During the march, the pipe is fixed in an automatic lashing fork.

Like other modern guns, the howitzer is able to fire using the so-called MRSI method ( Multiple Rounds Simultaneous Impact , in German for 'several shots, simultaneous impact'). This means that the gun fires up to six rounds that hit the target at the same time. This effect is achieved through different heights of the pipe, which cause different flight times. Shooting in this case begins with a large elevation of the tube and is gradually lowered to a lower one. The pauses between the individual shots are required in order to insert the propellant charge suitable for the respective increase. When using the MRSI procedure, the effective combat range is below the maximum firing range, as this can only be achieved with the largest propellant charge and the corresponding increase. In May 1999 a PzH 2000 fired five projectiles over a distance of 17 km. All bullets struck in a period of 1.2 seconds. The computer equipment simplifies shooting using the time-on-target method, in which each projectile from a gun in the firing position hits the target at the same time. The main weapon is used in direct aiming to defend against threats at close range. The largest charge reaches a muzzle velocity of around 1,000 m / s. In duel situations, however, the self-propelled howitzer is clearly inferior to battle tanks , since it is unable to initiate fire combat from movement.

As secondary armament, a machine gun is mounted at the place of the ammunition gunner 1, which varies depending on the user state. For the self-protection is a smoke grenade launcher with 2 x 4 cups union mounted on the tower front adjacent to the weapon cradle. The Bundeswehr crew has handguns of the G36 , MP2 and MG3 types for self-defense. The Dutch army uses the FN MAG machine gun and the Diemaco C7 / C8 assault rifle . The KADAG system (cannon launch display device) can be installed on the weapon to display the fire fight during maneuvers without a sharp shot. Equipped with display bodies, it simulates the bang, smoke and lightning that occurs when the main weapon is fired.

Ammunition and ammunition supply

The combat load of the PzH 2000 includes 60 artillery rounds in caliber 155 mm in different sorting, which varies according to the order. Available are explosive -, splinter, Multispectral fog -, light -, bomblet - and SMArt bullets . All types of ammunition are also available as base bleed projectiles.

The bullets are stored vertically in a star-shaped ammunition magazine in the front part of the tub and sorted by computer so that one bullet of each type is always accessible. It takes two soldiers twelve minutes to fill the ammunition magazine. The type of ammunition must be entered manually.

The loading mechanism consists of the independently rotatable transport rail under the tower platform, the storey transporter in the magazine and the storey transfer arm. When loading from the magazine, the bullet transporter grabs the bullet with its gripper, rotates it and transfers it to the transport rail. In this, if required, time settings and ejection height on the floor are made by the temperature device. The bullet reaches the loading position via the bullet transfer arm, where a pneumatic cylinder accelerates it and presses it into the transition cone ( attaches ). The pressure with which the bullet is applied depends on the tube elevation, so that the same depth of application of the bullet is achieved with each tube elevation. The propellant is inserted by hand. A ring liner seals the chamber and prevents combustion gases from escaping into the fighting compartment. During the loading process, the floor transfer arm takes up a large part of the tower space.

If the electrical system fails, the bullet transporter must be moved by hand. The transport rail cannot be used and must be replaced by a roller conveyor and rocker. The floor transfer arm can also be attached by hand.

The propellant charges are kept in a magazine in the rear of the tower. The capacity is 48 bag or rod-shaped propellant charges or 288 propellant charge modules, which can be plugged together to form the required charge, as well as two further propellant charge lighter magazines. If the fire is fired from fixed firing positions, loading can be carried out directly from the outside via the transport rail. The aforementioned projectile transporter is not used.

In order to practice loading activities in the tower trainer ( drill ), drill ammunition is available. Practice bullets with a lower danger zone are also available. The light blue marked grenades are provided with a cylindrical charge and correspond in the lightning and smoke development of the live explosive ammunition. On impact, they produce a smaller detonation sound than combat ammunition.

Weapon positioning system

The V ₀ measuring device above the cradle . The TN 80 tank rifle scope can be seen in the left edge of the picture . On the pipe of the smoke extractor. The rear part, covered with fabric, separates rigid from moving parts of the weapon.

The weapon system of the PzH 2000 has a high degree of accuracy. The deviation is only one minute of arc . This accuracy is achieved by combining different systems. A very precise fire control solution can be calculated using the data from a weather team, which measures temperature, humidity, air pressure and wind speed, and the powder and pipe temperature . The vehicle has the following systems to determine its position in space:

• GPS : With the help of a military GPS receiver of the type AN / PSN-11 PLGR (Precision Lightweight GPS Receiver) , which is installed in the vehicle and connected to an external antenna, the exact position of the vehicle including the height can be determined.
• Course-attitude device: The course-attitude device is an inertial navigation device that consists of three laser gyroscopes . During the march it serves as a support for the GPS. In the firing position, it determines the absolute position of the pipe in space, which means that shooting can take place even if the vehicle is tilted .
• Distance sensor: The position sensor uses the chain movement to measure the distance the vehicle has covered.
• V ₀ measuring device: The V ₀ measuring device consists of a Doppler radar that measures the speed of the projectiles after leaving the tube. The data obtained in this way for all shots are included in the calculations for the next shot.

The ADLER artillery command system or the MICMOS 32 / MICMOS 2000 fire control computer (Panzerhaubitze 2000 / Panzerhaubitze 2000 A1) of the self-propelled howitzer calculate a fire control solution from all of this data .

Optical aiming devices

If the weapon straightening system fails, the directional gunner can use the PERI-R19 mod panoramic periscope for indirect aiming. In this way, the determination of the basic direction and the setting up or adjustment to the target are made in lines . The optics attached to the top of the turret next to the weapon cradle have four times the magnification . When aiming directly at the target, the TN 80 armored rifle scope, which is a little further down, is used with eight times magnification. The line of sight of the built-in telescopic sight corresponds to that of the main weapon; the riflescope has a residual light amplifier for night use.

The PERI-RTNL 80 panoramic periscope is available to the commander . The non-stabilized optics are used for battlefield observation and, when directing, the integrated gallium arsenide laser for distance measurement . The PERI developed by Carl Zeiss Optronics - due to the client's tight budget - as a cost-effective variant has two and eight times magnification for day and night vision with monocular viewing or over 1.2 and 4.8 times magnification for night vision Using the binocular attachment. The usable range of the laser is 2800 m.

Drive and drive

PzH 2000: The compressor for the pneumatic system is located behind the protective grille on the left tower front. Traces of soot from the engine exhaust gases on the chain apron.

PzH 2000 of the Bw

The vehicle is powered by an MTU -881- diesel engine with exhaust gas turbocharger and intercooler . The engine was derived from the engine of the Leopard 1 and developed an output of 735 kW (1000  PS ). In contrast to its counterpart from the Leopard, the engine is not multifunctional . It is located on the left side of the bathtub and draws in the required air through inlet openings on the top of the bathtub. The exhaust gases are emitted on the left side of the pan. The displacement is 18.3 liters, the maximum torque 3000  Nm at a speed of 2000 min ⁻¹ . The maximum power of 735 kW at 2700 min ^-1 achieved. The engine gives the self-propelled howitzer about the mobility of a battle tank. On the road, speeds of up to 60 km / h can be achieved, and off-road speeds of up to 45 km / h. The fuel is supplied from two tanks of different sizes in the sides of the tub, their total capacity is 1,000 liters. The power is transmitted via an automatic HSWL-284-C transmission from Renk, which has four forward and two reverse gears. The motor and gearbox are combined in one block, which makes replacement much easier. In the left stern, a power generator with an output of 1.9  kW was installed to maintain the power supply in the covered installation.

For the drive components and undercarriage parts, the proven technology of the Leopard 1 and Leopard 2 tank families was used. The rubber-padded castors in the series come, for example, from the Leopard 2. The chassis , which consists of seven castors on each side, is sprung with torsion bars that are connected to the castors via swing arms. The Diehl DST 840 E0 connector chain serves as the crawler belt.

Waters up to a depth of 1.1 m can be waded through without preparation ; with the diving hydraulics switched on, waters up to 1.5 m deep can be crossed.

Technical specifications

designation	Self-propelled howitzer 2000
Type	Self-propelled howitzer
crew	3-5
engine	MTU 881 Ka-500, water-cooled 8-cylinder diesel engine
power	735 kW (1000 hp)
transmission	Hydromechanical shift, reversing and steering gear Renk HSWL 284-C with 4 forward and 2 reverse gears
landing gear	torsion bar sprung support roller drive
Length over all	11,669 mm
Width over everything	3500 mm
Height above everything	3460 mm
Ground clearance	440 mm
Wading ability	1500 mm (with immersion hydraulics)
Trench crossing ability	3000 mm
Climbing ability	1000 mm
Climbing ability	60%
Bank	30%
Combat weight	55,800 kg 57,660 kg (with roof protection)
Speed ​​limit road	60 km / h
Top speed terrain	45 km / h
Fuel quantity	1000 liters
Range	420 km
Armament	155 mm L / 52 howitzer, a machine gun
ammunition	60 projectiles and 48 bag propellants or 288 propellant charge modules

commitment

Mission profile

The M113 are the carrier vehicles for the ADLER guidance system. Equipped with computers and radio data transmission, they are the link between the platoon and the battalion.

The deployment profile of the PzH 2000 was primarily designed for the threat of the Cold War , at the time of which development began. It should be able to follow motorized formations, take up position quickly and, after completing the fire order, quickly change positions in order to avoid enemy counterfire. This so-called “ shoot-and-scoot ” ability (German for example: 'fire and cut off') ensures that one's own firing positions are almost impossible to fight effectively with counterfire. The self-propelled howitzer should be able to follow the highly mobile tank formations in order to be ready at any time for fire support against soft to hard targets. Thanks to their armor, fire fighting should also be possible under enemy fire. The fire control and position determination equipment allows the individual vehicles a high degree of autonomy. Firing positions are in principle no longer necessary, you can shoot from any position. Support from a fire control center is also no longer required. The mission profile stipulates that a train waits in a camouflaged position (the so-called covered deployment) for a fire command. If one of these is received via radio data transmission, the guns move out of the covered setup, carry out the fire command and move into a new covered setup. The period from receiving the fire command to leaving the position takes a maximum of two minutes.

In the Bundeswehr, the PzH 2000 is used in the armored artillery battalions of the brigades. The main task is to provide fire support to one's own combat troops and to fight with fire in the depths against high-value targets such as command posts under the responsibility of the brigade. The smallest tactical unit is the platoon, which consists of four howitzers, a platoon leader MTW M113 and a fire control MTW.

See also : Armed Forces Joint Tactical Fire Support

Calls

Dutch PzH 2000 fires in Chora / Afghanistan on June 16, 2007

PzH 2000 of the Bundeswehr in Afghanistan: Firing with a long line

Unloading a PzH 2000 from an Antonov-124 as part of SALIS in Mazar-i-Sharif

The PzH 2000 made its first combat missions in Afghanistan during Operation Medusa (2006) and the Battle of Chora (2007) in the southern Afghan province of Kandahar , during which three Dutch howitzers supported the coalition forces. Over four thousand projectiles were fired during Operation Medusa. During the Battle of Chora, the fire support provided by the self-propelled howitzers, combined with close air support, was found to be very effective. Targets could be fought effectively up to 42 km away.

In response to the attacks by the Taliban against the Bundeswehr on April 2, 2010 , in which three soldiers were killed, the then Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg called for “heavy weapons for Afghanistan”. In May 2010, three self-propelled howitzers 2000 were relocated to Afghanistan and their operational readiness was made by the end of June. Up until then, a total of 20 projectiles of explosive, flare and smoke ammunition had been fired as part of a practice shooting to determine exact shot values ​​on site and for the purposes of the “ Show of Force ”. On July 10, 2010, the howitzers were used for the first time by the 345 Artillery Training Regiment from Kusel to enable the recovery of a vehicle damaged by an IED attack. Five rounds of live ammunition were fired. Two more guns followed in early 2011.

User states

In addition to the German Armed Forces, which originally procured 185 howitzers, the gun is still used or deployed in five other European armies. However, the Bundeswehr only maintained 153 units of the improved type PzH 2000 A1 in active service for reasons of cost and requirements. The vehicle has been tested by the armed forces of Sweden, Finland, Norway, Turkey and Australia. However, all of these countries decided against introducing the self-propelled howitzer 2000. Most recently, Australia rejected the acquisition plans in March 2012.

Italian self-propelled howitzer 2000 during exercise Trident Juncture 15 in 2015

Croatian self-propelled howitzer 2000 in Zagreb, 2015

Lithuanian self-propelled howitzer 2000 in maneuver, 2018

Italy

Italy was the first export customer for the PzH 2000. A total of 70 guns were purchased. The first two vehicles were delivered by Krauss-Maffei-Wegmann, all others were manufactured by the company consortium of Iveco , Fiat and Oto Melara .

Greece

Greece opted for the self-propelled howitzer 2000 in 2001. In 2003 and 2004, a total of 24 PzH 2000HEL units were delivered to the Greek army . The PzH 2000HEL has additional night vision optics for the driver and a digitized radio data transmission system. Furthermore, the power generator is missing; the camouflage scheme follows a different scheme than in the other user countries. The procurement of further vehicles is planned.

Croatia

In December 2014, Croatia signed a contract to buy twelve self-propelled howitzers, which were delivered in two tranches until 2016.

Netherlands

In 2002, the Netherlands decided to purchase 57 guns. The PzH 2000 was able to prevail against three competitors, the British AS90 , the American M109A6 Paladin and the South African Denel G6 . Originally, the vehicles were to be delivered from 2004 to 2009. However, as the Dutch armed forces underwent a comprehensive reorganization, the demand dropped to 39 vehicles. Of these, only 24 are currently in active service. The soldiers are trained at the Idar-Oberstein Artillery School and at the Baumholder military training area directly adjacent .

Qatar

In May 2009 the Federal Security Council of Germany approved a delivery of 24 PzH 2000 from Germany to Qatar. The first delivery of three howitzers took place in autumn 2015.

Lithuania

In 2015 Lithuania declared its intention to buy the PzH 2000 from Germany in 2016. The federal government confirmed in April 2015 that 12 used PzH 2000 units from the Bundeswehr should be delivered to Lithuania, but the country will ultimately receive 21 howitzers, 16 of which are operated by the "General Romualdas Giedraitis" artillery battalion become. They are intended to replace the M101 (105 mm) howitzers that Denmark has supplied since 2000 .

Hungary

On December 19, 2018, Hungary signed a contract to purchase 24 self-propelled howitzers 2000 from Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW). Part of this contract was the purchase of 44 Leopard 2A7 + and a further 12 used Leopard 2A4s for training purposes

literature

• Clemens Niesner: Panzerhaubitze 2000. = PzH 2000 155 mm Self-Propelled Howitzer. Vollert Tankograd Publishing, Erlangen 2009 ( Tankograd military vehicle. Special 5025, ZDB -ID 2408112-7 ).
• Christopher F. Foss (Ed.): Jane's Armor & Artillery. 2009-2010. Jane's Information Group Inc, Coulsdon et al. a. 2009, ISBN 978-0-7106-2882-4 .

Web links

Commons : Panzerhaubitze 2000  - Album with pictures, videos and audio files

• German army
• PzH 2000 at KMW
• Description from WaffenHQ.de
• 60 seconds Bundeswehr - Panzerhaubitze 2000 on YouTube

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Panzerhaubitze 2000 - Technical data
2. ↑ Not to be confused with the gun range.
3. ^ Weser-Ems-Kurier, accessed on June 19, 2010
4. ↑ augengeradeaus.net In future there will still be 225 Leos in the Bundeswehr (with correction) ; Thomas Wiegold , accessed on February 11, 2012
5. ↑ http ://www. Background.de/201601273828/politik/inland/vor-allem-mehr-panzer-millionenprogramm-fuer-bundeswehr.html
6. ↑ Clemens Niesner: Military Vehicles Special No. 5025 Panzerhaubitze 2000. Tankograd Publishing, p. 16 f.
7. ↑ www.deutschesheer.de ( Memento from July 14, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) (via Internet Archive ): Information about the PzH 2000. Retrieved on November 16, 2009.
8. ↑ ^{a b} Clemens Niesner: Military Vehicles Special No. 5025 Self-propelled howitzer 2000. Tankograd Publishing, p. 14.
9. ↑ The PzH2000 www.army-technology.com. Retrieved November 16, 2009
10. ↑ data sheet of the PzH 2000 www.fas.org. Retrieved November 16, 2009
11. ↑ PzH2000. (No longer available online.) In: www.kmweg.de. Archived from the original on March 14, 2012 ; Retrieved June 15, 2011 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
12. ↑ ^{a b c} Christopher Foss: Jane's Armor and Artillery 2009-2010. P. 746.
13. ↑ ^{a b} Clemens Niesner: Military Vehicles Special No. 5025 Self-propelled howitzer 2000. Tankograd Publishing, p. 45.
14. ↑ Description of the loading mechanism www.deutschesheer.de. Retrieved November 17, 2009
15. ↑ Clemens Niesner: Military Vehicles Special No. 5025 Self-propelled howitzer 2000. Tankograd Publishing, p. 13.
16. ↑ Non-stabilized periscopes - PERI-RTNL 80. (PDF) Zeiss, archived from the original on December 7, 2008 ; accessed on January 2, 2010 (English): "it is planned as a low cost version, designed to budget" 
17. ↑ Engines for heavy vehicles MTU-online.com, accessed on May 30, 2010.
18. ↑ Clemens Niesner: Military Vehicles Special No. 5025 Self-propelled howitzer 2000. Tankograd Publishing, p. 15.
19. ↑ Clemens Niesner: Military Vehicles Special No. 5025 Self-propelled howitzer 2000. Tankograd Publishing, p. 44.
20. ↑ www.Waffenhq.de Private website. Retrieved December 12, 2013
21. ↑ Guttenberg sees no need for a new mandate: Keyword Panzerhaubitze 2000 ( Memento from April 16, 2010 in the Internet Archive ), accessed on May 25, 2010
22. ↑ Bundeswehr - Aktuell, issue 25, June 28, 2010, hit in target. After test shots, the self-propelled howitzers 2000 are ready for use in Kunduz.
23. ↑ Bundeswehr uses heavy artillery against insurgents - spiegel.de, July 11, 2010
24. ↑ faz.net: With great caliber against the Taliban , accessed on July 13, 2010
25. ↑ Artillery Reserve for Northern Afghanistan , accessed February 21, 2011
26. ↑ Bundeswehr Plan 2009 Annex 8
27. ^ Rethink of Defense projects to save billions , ABC Online. May 3, 2012. 
28. ↑ PzH 2000 (Panzerhaubitze 2000) Self-Propelled Gun www.militaryfactory.com. English, accessed January 6, 2011.
29. ↑ Clemens Niesner: Military Vehicles Special No. 5025 Self-propelled howitzer 2000. Tankograd Publishing, p. 46.
30. ↑ Croatia orders PzH 2000 howitzers ( Memento of the original from December 11, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. www.janes.com. English, accessed February 18, 2015. 
31. ↑ Clemens Niesner: Military Vehicles Special No. 5025 Panzerhaubitze 2000. Tankograd Publishing, p. 45 f.
32. ↑ Newspaper: Delivery of 24 self-propelled howitzers to the Emirate of Qatar approved ( Memento of the original from September 20, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
33. ↑ Germany delivers battle tanks to Qatar Süddeutsche Zeitung , October 22, 2015
34. ↑ Oficialu: Lietuva iš Vokietijos ketina įsigyti galingų ginklų ( Memento of the original from February 19, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (Daily newspaper Lietuvos rytas ) 
35. ↑ Germany sends self-propelled howitzers to Lithuania , Die Welt
36. ^ Lithuania orders German PzH 2000s, Janes, September 29, 2015
37. ^ Gerhard Hegmann: Armament: Hungary orders the most modern Leopard tanks . In: THE WORLD . December 20, 2018 ( welt.de [accessed December 20, 2018]).
38. ^ Jarosław Adamowski: Hungary signs deal to buy dozens of tanks, howitzers from Germany's KMW. In: https://www.defensenews.com . December 20, 2018, accessed December 21, 2018 . 

This version was added to the list of articles worth reading on June 1, 2010 .