On October 23, US Secretary of Defense Austin confirmed that North Korean troops have entered Russia. The White House National Security Council spokesperson Kobe also stated at a press conference that day that the US believes at least 3,000 North Korean soldiers have traveled by boat to Vladivostok, the largest port in Russia’s Far East region. Austin warned that this is a very, very serious issue. It will not only affect Europe but also impact the situation in the Indo-Pacific region. Pyongyang has already provided weapons and ammunition to Russia, which is their next step.
In light of the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, traditional artillery has continued to play a significant role. The US Army is also changing its strategy. In March of this year, the “Extended Range Cannon Artillery” (ERCA) program’s XM1299 development concept was canceled, and the “Self-Propelled Howitzer Modernization” (SPH-M) program was proposed. The US Army has entered into contracts with five manufacturers to allow multiple new self-propelled howitzers with mature technologies, some of which have already been procured by various countries’ militaries, to participate in testing and assist in verifying technical specifications.
The US Army has selected General Dynamics Land Systems, Hanwha, BAE Systems, Rheinmetall, and Elbit Systems as the five major companies to participate in the self-propelled howitzer modernization program. Starting November of this year, the self-propelled howitzers provided by these companies will undergo live-fire demonstrations to verify future technical specifications and eventually replace the current M109 self-propelled howitzers.
Rheinmetall’s proposal that made the cut is the Armored Transportable Howitzer (ATI). ATI was first publicly showcased on May 7, 2021, similar to Krauss-Maffei Wegmann’s RCH 155. It utilizes the technology of the PzH-2000 self-propelled howitzer, is mounted on an HX3 10×10 chassis, equipped with a 155mm howitzer with a 60-caliber barrel, features a fully enclosed AGM unmanned turret with a 360-degree rotating shooting angle, and weighs over 40 tons.
The Archer wheeled self-propelled howitzer is a fully automatic vehicle-mounted howitzer developed by the Swedish company BAE Systems, which has been acquired by BAE Systems. The Archer requires only three crew members – a driver, gunner, and a sighter – with a combat weight of 30 tons. Its main feature is its rapid firing rate, and the fully automatic turret is simpler than German products, lighter in combat weight, and has superior mobility.
General Dynamics Land Systems has introduced the Piranha 10×10 Heavy Mission Carrier (HMC) with the unmanned turret (AGM) used by the German RCH 155, launching the Piranha wheeled self-propelled howitzer.
Hanwha’s K9A1 Thunder self-propelled howitzer is the only tracked artillery selected, an improved version of the K9 self-propelled howitzer, which has already made significant gains in the self-propelled artillery market of various countries.
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