France delivers six additional 155-mm CAESAR MK1 wheeled self-propelled artillery pieces to Estonia, as reported by the country's State Television and Radio.
In a recent development, Ukraine has been grappling with issues related to the CAESAR MK1 wheeled self-propelled guns. These challenges, which commonly arise in frontline artillery systems due to intense operational tempo and supply chain constraints, have been causing concern for the Ukrainian forces.
The CAESAR MK1, being a mobile and rapid-firing artillery system, undergoes significant mechanical stress. This accelerated wear on suspension, tires, and gun carriage components requires frequent maintenance cycles to keep the systems operational.
Repairing complex artillery systems like the CAESAR can be problematic in a warzone. The semi-autonomous fire control system and hydraulic gun laying components demand expert servicing, which is hard to scale under combat conditions.
Moreover, procuring and delivering spare parts for the CAESAR MK1 in Ukraine has been a challenge. These difficulties are mainly due to complex supply chains disrupted by the ongoing conflict, dependency on foreign manufacturers for certain parts, and logistical constraints in transporting heavy components to the frontlines.
While there are no detailed direct references on CAESAR-specific issues, the operational context and comparable reports on similar systems suggest these are the likely common problems faced by Ukraine with CAESAR MK1 artillery.
Despite these challenges, the CAESAR guns are most actively used in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In mid-2024, Ukraine received 12 of these guns as part of a €108 million contract.
Meanwhile, Estonia has also received 6 additional 155-mm CAESAR MK1 wheeled self-propelled guns from France. These guns, like those in Ukraine, are self-propelled and belong to the MK1 model of CAESAR. The acquisition of these guns was announced by Estonia's State Television and Radio station.
The operational life of these guns has been marked by rapid wear of the guns and chassis, as well as reported difficulties in finding spare parts and repairing them.
As Ukraine continues to face these challenges, it is evident that addressing spare parts and maintenance issues with imported systems is crucial. Ukraine is concurrently developing indigenous systems such as the 2S22 Bohdana to mitigate dependence on foreign artillery platforms. This underscores the importance of finding solutions to these issues to ensure the effectiveness of Ukraine's artillery capabilities.
- The technological complexities and intricacies of the CAESAR MK1 system, such as its semi-autonomous fire control system and hydraulic gun laying components, necessitate expert maintenance, which is challenging to ensure under warzone conditions.
- The intense wear on suspension, tires, and gun carriage components of the CAESAR MK1, which is a result of its rapid-firing nature, necessitates frequent maintenance cycles, posing a significant logistical challenge in a warzone context.
