KNDS believes that its Caesar self-propelled howitzer could win the U.S. Army program to replace the M777 towed artillery. The potential deal could involve around 400 Caesar howitzers.
Such a large number is unlikely to be produced in France, as local factories are already busy with other orders and the U.S. insists on domestic manufacturing. Therefore, KNDS recently signed an agreement with Leonardo DRS for local production, according to Defense News.
Read more: Will Lynx IFV Production Really Begin in Ukraine This Year, and What Are the Hidden Challenges?
One of the reasons why the U.S. is likely to choose Caesars to replace its M777s is that French self-propelled howitzers have already been tested in modern warfare and are actively used in Ukraine. As a result, the systems are being continuously improved using feedback from the Ukrainian forces.
The number of Caesar Mk1 howitzers in Ukrainian service has risen from 85 at the beginning of the year to more than 120 today. This means that Ukraine has received at least 35 Caesar self-propelled howitzers over the past 10 months.
From Defense Express we would like to note that it is not yet clear which modification of the Caesar will be supplied to the U.S. in the future. The likely candidate is the Caesar MkII NG, the newest variant of the system, which will begin deliveries to France next year.
France has currently ordered 109 Caesar MkII NG howitzers, with deliveries scheduled to take place between 2026 and 2030. Assuming the Caesars are produced at the same rate, it would take around 15 years to deliver all 400 units to the U.S.
In fact, the pace is likely to be much faster, as the French plant is already producing Caesar MkII NG howitzers not only for France, but also for Belgium and Lithuania, with deliveries scheduled to start in 2027However, even if the U.S. order is placed this year, the first Caesars produced in the U.S. are unlikely to be delivered before the end of 2027.
This is because the U.S. would first need to establish production facilities and then produce an initial batch, since the manufacturing cycle for a single self‑propelled howitzer is very long. Now, it is possible to calculate an approximate cost for 400 Caesar MkII NG howitzers.
It is known that France purchased 109 Caesar MkII NG howitzers for €350 million (about $407 million), or roughly €3.2 million ($3.72 million) per unit. For the U.S., the cost is estimated at approximately €1.284 billion (nearly $1.5 billion).
It should be emphasized that this calculation is based on assumptions; whether Caesars will be procured, and under what terms, quantity, and configuration, remains unknown, meaning actual costs may vary.
Read more: Romania Finally Learns When it Can Start Producing $1B K9 Howitzers Locally
