French CAESAR howitzers bolster Estonia's military might
The first batch of French CAESAR self-propelled howitzers has arrived in Estonia. Authorities in this Baltic country emphasise that this weapon, which has demonstrated high effectiveness in the war in Ukraine, will significantly reinforce the Estonian army.
CAESAR (Camion Équipé d’un Système d’Artillerie) is a French artillery system introduced in 1994, but went into production only 12 years later. Interest in CAESAR began to increase over the subsequent months of the war in Ukraine, where it proved to be a significant asset for the Ukrainian army.
Estonia is arming itself with modern artillery
Estonia, which is also equipping itself with South Korean K9 Thunder, will have a total of 12 CAESAR self-propelled howitzers. The first batch arrived in the country on Tuesday, 29th January, and the second is expected to be delivered by the French side by the end of the summer. The Estonian government's order for this weapon was a response to the need to create a mobile artillery unit capable of moving quickly and efficiently across the country. The Estonian authorities have previously begun ordering the appropriate ammunition.
Ramil Lipp, spokesman for the Estonian Defence Investment Center, said that if asked about ammunition for those howitzers, they had placed the order back in 2022 when additional funds were allocated for defence. He added that Estonia of course, continued to invest in the necessary shells and that most orders had already been received, both for standard 155 mm artillery projectiles and specialised ammunition. Lipp added that deliveries would continue that year and in the coming years.
Artillery appreciated by Ukrainians
CAESAR uses a 155 mm calibre gun, which is standard for modern NATO artillery. However, the barrel is 52 calibres long, giving CAESAR an above-average range.
The range for hitting targets with standard shells reaches approximately 40 kilometres, but it can be significantly increased. CAESAR offers particularly large capabilities when using new Vulcano GLR sub-calibre shells, where the range can reach up to 80 kilometres. Additionally, CAESAR is capable of firing in MRSI mode.
Estonia opted for the variant mounted on a six-wheel truck chassis. There is also a larger and heavier variant integrated with an 8x8 chassis, which features an armoured cab and an automatic loading system.
