In April 2024, it became known that Finland had once made 155-mm howitzers and designed a wheeled self-propelled artillery. Now Finland wants continue with it. The Finnish Defense Forces have approximately 54 to 130 155K98 gun howitzers. They were made during the Cold War. Now Patria company intends to resume the production cycle of this type of howitzer as well as return to the project of a wheeled self-propelled artillery using 155K98, which was first shown in 2015.
The Finnish Forces have expressed a desire to have not only K9 tracked self-propelled howitzers, but also wheeled ones. This decision was based on the experience of the Defense Forces of Ukraine in the war against russian occupiers.
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However, in July 2024, some data emerged that cast doubt on Finland's intentions to develop a project for its own 155-mm wheeled self-propelled howitzers.
According to ZBiAM, the Finnish military is considering a plan to purchase advanced CAESAR NG or CAESAR Mk II wheeled self-propelled howitzers from France as part of a project to upgrade its coastal artillery. The French Armed Forces should receive them approximately in 2026-2030. The order amounts to 109 units.
At the moment, there is only a rendering of how the promising French CAESAR NG should look like. It is stated that it will have a maximum range of 55 kilometers (subject to the use of rocket-assisted projectile).
At the moment, Finland's coastal defense is based on 130-mm K-53 TK fixed artillery gun. Finland's intention to replace artillery with self-propelled one was announced in June this year.
Pribably Finnish military may actually be considering the option of simultaneously having domestically produced wheeled howitzers for its Army as well as purchasing French CAESAR NG for coastal defense.
Earlier Defense Express reported that a military system had passed NATO’s security check for the first time in Ukraine’s history.
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