BAE Touts PZH 2000 SP Gun At Australian Airshow / BAE Systems Showcases Self-Propelled Howitzer PZH 2000 At The Australian International Air Show

BAE Touts PZH 2000 SP Gun At Australian Airshow / BAE Systems Showcases Self-Propelled Howitzer PZH 2000 At The Australian International Air Show

(NSI News Source Info) MUNICH/AVALON, Victoria - March 12, 2009: Krauss-Maffei Wegmann GmbH & Co.KG (KMW) and through-life support partner BAE Systems Australia are featuring the Panzerhaubitze 2000 (PzH 2000) Self-Propelled Howitzer (SPH) capabilities for Land 17 at this week’s Australian International Air Show in Avalon.

The PzH 2000 (Panzerhaubitze 2000) is the 155mm self-propelled howitzer developed by Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) together with the main subcontractor Rheinmetall Landsysteme for the German Army. "The PzH 2000 is the 155mm self-propelled howitzer developed by Krauss-Maffei Wegmann." KMW received a contract in 1996 for production of 185 units. The first system was delivered in July 1998 and deliveries for this batch are complete. Rheinmetall (formerly MaK) delivers the complete chassis for all series vehicles. Total German Army requirement has been reduced from around 450 units to 260. PzH 2000 has also been selected by the Italian, Dutch and Greek Armies. The Greek Army has 24 systems, delivered between July 2003 and June 2004. A German / Italian co-production programme with Consorzio Iveco-Oto Melara is providing the 70 units for the Italian Army. KMW delivered two units in 2002. First deliveries of the remaining 68 from Consorzio Iveco-Oto Melara took place in May 2007. The system entered service with the Italian Army in June 2007 and achieved initial operating capability in October 2008. Final deliveries are scheduled for 2009. The Dutch army signed a contract for the procurement of for 57 units, later reduced to 39 units and deliveries are underway. The surplus 18 units (not yet built) were offered to the Australian Army but were declined.

The Land 17 Artillery Replacement Programme will fundamentally change the Australian Army’s indirect fire support capability through a system of systems architecture. Fielding of the KMW PzH 2000 for the Land 17 SPH capability package will provide a versatile, safe, combat proven, networked, autonomous and PGM certified precision weapon system.

The PzH 2000 is the most modern tube artillery system in the world and meets all international demands. The PzH 2000 forms an essential element in combat support, both now and in future combat and crisis scenarios. Currently PzH 2000 units of the Dutch Army are providing combat support, convoy and base protection for Coalition forces in Afghanistan.

“Today there are 250 units in service across four NATO armies, including the Netherlands, already operating with advanced networked C2 and fire control systems,” says Christian Goettfert, Regional Sales Director of KMW. “One PzH2000 can deliver the indirect artillery support previously provided by four NATO M109 class Self Propelled Howitzers.”

BAE Systems Australia’s Managing Director Jim McDowell says the PzH 2000 is an attractive option for the Department of Defence because it offered considerably lower procurement risk. “This is a safe off the shelf solution. Minimal changes and verification and validation testing are required to meet the Land 17 SPH requirements. Crew safety, work load minimization, human factors and reduced crew size are all integral to the PzH 2000 system design.”

Other key features of the PzH 2000 include:

--Delivery of five rounds in less than two seconds on a single target (Multiple Rounds Simultaneous Impact capability);

--Combat load of 60 rounds, with rapid resupply (60 rounds in less than 12 minutes), and ability to fire all types of NATO approved ammunition;

--Full 360 degree target engagement at all ranges from a stationary PzH 2000;

--Proven 30 kilometres combat range for standard 155mm HE projectiles and up to 56 kilometres with boosted munitions;

--No need for a specialised armoured resupply vehicle;

--Proven deployability and US certification for strategic lift in C17 aircraft;

--High automation levels mean reduced crew numbers (only two are required for static firing missions)

--Unmatched safety features, with charges stored in a protected compartment separate from the crew space and the gun crew contained within a safety cage in the turret to prevent injury during firing.

Krauss-Maffei Wegmann GmbH & Co. KG leads the European market for armoured wheeled and tracked vehicles. At locations in Germany, Greece, the Netherlands and the USA, some 3200 employees manufacture and support a product portfolio ranging from air-transportable, heavily armoured wheeled vehicles (MUNGO, DINGO, GFF4 and BOXER) through reconnaissance, anti-aircraft and artillery systems (FENNEK, GEPARD, LeFLaSys, Armoured Howitzer 2000, AGM and DONAR) to heavy battle tanks (LEOPARD 1 and 2), armoured personnel carriers (PUMA) and bridge-laying-systems (LEGUAN and PSB2). The armed forces of more than 30 nations worldwide rely on the operational systems by KMW.

BAE Systems is the premier global defence and aerospace company delivering a full range of products and services for air, land and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, information technology solutions and customer support services. With approximately 105,000 employees worldwide, BAE Systems' sales exceeded £18.5 billion (US $34.4 billion) in 2008.