On August 6, the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Estonia announced the arrival of six more units of the latest French CAESAR self-propelled wheeled howitzers. The Ministry of Defense emphasized that this "further increases our firepower, mobility, and defense capabilities."
France's Nexter (KNDS) has completed its current contract to supply CAESAR self-propelled howitzers to the Estonian army. It should be recalled that the agreement was signed just over a year ago, in April 2024. The first batch of six units was delivered this winter.
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As of today, in addition to the 12 CAESAR self-propelled guns already in service, the Estonian Armed Forces operate 24 South Korean K9 Thunder self-propelled howitzers and have since purchased another 12.
For comparison, in 2022, according to the Military Balance, the Estonian army had six K9 Thunder self-propelled howitzers and 60 towed artillery pieces — 36 122 mm D-30s and 24 155 mm FH-70s.
According to Oryx, Estonia gave Ukraine all of its towed artillery in 2022. According to other sources, the Estonian army may have retained some D-30 howitzers.
Earlier, Defense Express reported that the successor to the CAESAR self-propelled howitzer is expected by the 2040s, with greater range and increased automation.
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