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Artillery & MLRS

France

KNDS

CAESAR

A truck-mounted 155 mm/52-caliber self-propelled howitzer built by Nexter (now KNDS France), combining a full-size artillery gun with the mobility and low logistics footprint of a wheeled truck chassis. It has seen extensive combat use, including large-scale deployment to Ukraine.

In service since 2008 · 10 operator countries

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

100

km/h

600

km range

155

mm gun

17,700

Pricing: Unit cost not publicly disclosed

Procurement snapshot

Availability & export

French export-licensed

CIEEMG inter-ministerial approval; broadly export-oriented.

Channel: DGA / direct commercial

Fielded & proven

Established · 10 operators

In service since 2008. Status: active · ~350 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.	100 km/h Top 6% 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.	600 km Stronger than 69% of artillery systems
Rate of fire Rounds per minute (cyclic). Higher increases suppression and hit probability.	6 rpm Stronger than 49% of artillery systems

Firepower

Armament, payload and guidance.

Firepower specifications
Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type.	155 mm/52-caliber howitzer
Caliber Bore diameter of the main gun or rifle. Larger throws heavier projectiles; not simply better, ammunition commonality matters.	155 mm
Max firing range Maximum range of the main gun or rocket artillery (with assisted/extended-range munitions where noted). Higher extends reach.	42 km Stronger than 54% 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.	17,700 kg
Crew Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity.	5

Propulsion

Engine, power and fuel.

Propulsion specifications
Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…	Wheeled 6x6 truck chassis

Program

Cost, production scale and operators.

Program specifications
Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.	350 Stronger than 39% of artillery systems
Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.	10 Stronger than 77% of artillery systems

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

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