The Caesar 8×8 is the upgraded version of the Caesar 6×6 155 mm / 52 caliber self-propelled howitzer. The vehicle is manufactured by the French company Nexter and is used by the French Army in Lebanon, Afghanistan, Mali and Iraq.

©Nexter

The Caesar 8×8 version was unveiled during the DSEI show in London in September 2015. The body of the Caesar 8×8 is Tatra – T-815.

The French company Nexter has developed the new Caesar 8×8 to meet the requirements of its customers, regarding the use of the new automatic loading / filling system, increasing the payload to carry more ammunition.

The Caesar 8×8 can be ready for fire in less than a minute. It can be easily transported by military transport aircraft such as the C-130 and Airbus A400M. In March 2017, Denmark selected the Caesar 8×8 to replace the US made M109 self-propelled howitzer, which has been operational since 1965.

The Caesar 6×6 has already experienced the baptism of fire in Mali, Afghanistan, Lebanon and recently in Iraq, where it was used in operations of the French forces. In March 2017, the Danish Ministry of Defense announced that the French company Nexter would supply Denmark with new Caesar 8×8 artillery systems. Denmark has bought 15 Caesar 8×8 systems and has the option for another 6, replacing the 32 American M109.

The main armament of the Nexter Caesar 8×8 consists of a 155 mm / 52 caliber cannon similar to the Caesar 6×6 cannon. It has a firing rate of 6 rounds per minute and can carry 30 projectiles. Its cannon can be raised 72 degrees and can move 30 degrees left / right. It also uses a large hydraulic stabilizer on the back to provide stability when firing.

The system is equipped with a semi-automatic loading system for charges and shells. It has a firing range of 4.5 to 40 km. It can also be used on ground targets with a maximum range of 2 km using a thermal camera. Optionally, the roof of the truck cabin can be equipped with a remotely operated weapon station armed with a 7.62 mm or 12.7 mm gun.

It weighs 31 tons and can carry a crew of up to 5 people in a protective cabin depending on the customer’s requirements. The cabin can be upgraded to a ballistic protection level 3 and mine protection level 2 (NATO standards). It uses, among other things, an inertial navigation system and GPS, a muzzle velocity radar, a ballistic computer and an auxiliary power unit.