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DISPATCH 04/26 · 23 Oct 2026
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Lexicon · Europe

CAESAR

France's truck-mounted 155 mm self-propelled howitzer — a high-mobility wheeled artillery system that has redefined shoot-and-scoot with NATO-standard range and a growing presence across Ukraine’s front lines.

CAESAR
FIG.01 · Europe Image - CAESAR. Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Mikki Sprenkle, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
France’s truck-mounted 155 mm self-propelled artillery system — a wheeled howitzer that defined the modern shoot-and-scoot standard and has become one of the most combat-tested Western artillery pieces of the 2020s.

Overview

The CAESAR (CAmion Équipé d’un Système d’ARtillerie) is a 155 mm/52-calibre wheeled self-propelled howitzer developed by Nexter (now KNDS France). Mounted on a 6×6 or 8×8 truck chassis, it combines an L/52 ordnance with a compact ammunition-handling and digital fire-control suite, enabling rapid displacement after firing. The system entered French Army service in 2008 and has since been exported to over a dozen operators, becoming a focal point of Western artillery support for Ukraine. Its combat record—ranging from Sahel operations to the high-intensity duels of the Ukraine war—has driven a surge in international demand.

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