Turkey installs 155mm/52-caliber Panter howitzer on 8×8 truck
ANKARA, ($1=15.34 Turkish Liras) — Panter howitzers in the inventory of the Turkish Armed Forces will be mounted on trucks. The news was announced on May 10th after Turkish defense company Aselsan signed a contract with howitzer manufacturer MKEK. Turkish sources say the future howitzer system will feature a new, more modern fire control system developed by Aselsan.
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As part of the upgrade, the Panter howitzers will gain new capabilities and be mobilized by being mounted on an 8 × 8 tactical wheeled vehicle. The Panter howitzer system will feature an updated servo system, electronic units, a hydraulic system, and user interface, as well as digital communication systems. Aselsan says the new Panter wheeled howitzer system will have ballistic calculation software as well as the ability to control the initial velocity of the shots.
Truck-mounted Panter howitzer systems will provide significant superiority, especially in Drop and Go missions, with short standby times and high maneuverability compared to towed howitzer versions. In this way, the command of the Turkish ground forces will renew an important part of the howitzer inventory, they say in Turkey.
BulgarianMilitary.com reminds us that Ankara is working on the Firtina project – next-generation howitzers.
Panter howitzer
Panter howitzer is a project and production of the Turkish company MKEK. The design of the howitzers dates back to 1990. In 2000, the serial production of the Panter howitzer began, and in 2002 they were accepted into service in the Turkish Armed Forces. Apart from Turkey, Pakistan is the other operator to have adopted this howitzer.
Panter howitzer is a towed howitzer system. So far, nearly 340 units of it have been produced. It is manned by a crew of six, weighs 18 tons, and is 11.60 meters long.
The gun is 155mm / 52-caliber and developed according to NATO standards and launches artillery shells M107, M549A1 (RAP), and ERFB / Base Bleed. Depending on the type of projectile, the operational range is also different: from 18 to 40 km. The firing frequency is 6 rounds/min normal, 3 rounds in 15-sec impact, and 2 rounds/min continuous. The angle between the horizontal plane and the axial direction is −3 Degrees / + 65 Degrees. The feed system is hydraulically powered flick rammer-assisted loading.
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