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Artillery & MLRS

South Africa

Denel Aviation

G6 Rhino

A wheeled 6x6 self-propelled howitzer developed by Denel out of the towed G5 gun, combining long-range 155 mm firepower with the mobility and survivability needed for South Africa's Border War experience. It remains one of the longest-ranged conventional howitzers in service.

In service since 1988 · 3 operator countries

Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02

km/h

700

km range

155

mm gun

47,000

Procurement snapshot

Availability & export

National export licensing

Subject to South Africa export-control approval; verify eligibility with the manufacturer.

Channel: Direct commercial / G2G

Fielded & proven

Limited · 3 operators

In service since 1988. Status: active · ~150 built.

Lifecycle cost (est.)

No public unit price to model from. Why so few systems publish one →

Interoperability

155 mm NATO artillery

Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.

Full specifications

Performance

Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.

Performance specifications
Max speed Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance.	90 km/h Stronger than 82% of artillery systems
Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.	700 km Stronger than 84% of artillery systems
Rate of fire Rounds per minute (cyclic). Higher increases suppression and hit probability.	4 rpm Stronger than 22% of artillery systems

Firepower

Armament, payload and guidance.

Firepower specifications
Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type.	155 mm/45 or 155 mm/52 howitzer
Caliber Bore diameter of the main gun or rifle. Larger throws heavier projectiles; not simply better, ammunition commonality matters.	155 mm
Ammunition Rounds carried (main gun) or standard magazine capacity.	47 Stronger than 81% of artillery systems
Max firing range Maximum range of the main gun or rocket artillery (with assisted/extended-range munitions where noted). Higher extends reach.	50 km Stronger than 59% of artillery systems

Physical

Dimensions, weight and crew.

Physical specifications
Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor.	47,000 kg
Crew Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity.	6

Propulsion

Engine, power and fuel.

Propulsion specifications
Engine Powerplant model and type.	Turbo-diesel
Engine power Engine output power. Higher moves more weight faster.	525 hp Stronger than 50% of artillery systems
Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…	Diesel (wheeled 6x6)

Program

Cost, production scale and operators.

Program specifications
Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.	150 Stronger than 24% of artillery systems
Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.	3 Stronger than 42% of artillery systems

Specifications compiled from public Denel Aviation and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.

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