The PzH 2000 has automatic support for up to 5 rounds of Multiple Rounds Simultaneous Impact.
With an extremely fast rate of fire, long range, absolute maneuverability and high automation, the PzH-2000 is considered one of the most advanced and powerful self-propelled tracked artillery systems available today. The PzH-2000 is a 155mm self-propelled howitzer produced by two defense industry groups Krauss-Maffei Wegmann and Rheinmetall for the German army. PzH-2000 was put into production in 1998, so far 8 countries around the world are operating this system.
The German self-propelled artillery system has a combat weight of about 55.8 tons, a length of 11.7 m, a width of 3.6 m, and a height of 3.1 m. The crew of 5 includes: commander, driver, gunner, and two loaders.
Its main armament is a 155 mm/L52 howitzer, which is compatible with standard NATO 155 mm ammunition. Secondary armament consists of a roof-mounted 7.62 mm machine gun. The PzH 2000 is one of the most powerful conventional artillery systems deployed in the 2010s. It is capable of a very high rate of fire; in burst mode it can fire three rounds in nine seconds, ten rounds in 56 seconds, and can—depending on barrel heating—fire between 10 and 13 rounds per minute continuously.
The PzH 2000 has automatic support for up to 5 rounds of Multiple Rounds Simultaneous Impact. The replenishment of shells is automated. Two operators can load 60 shells and propelling charges in less than 12 minutes. Maximum range of fire is 30 km with standard HE-FRAG projectile and 40 km with base bleed projectile. Using a South African VLAP rocket-assisted projectile a range of 56 km can be achieved.
The PzH 2000 was used for the first time in combat by the Fire Support Command of the Royal Netherlands Army in August 2006 against Taliban targets in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan, in support of Operation Medusa. Since then it has been used regularly in support of coalition troops in Uruzgan province, also in Afghanistan. The PzH 2000 was also used extensively during the Battle of Chora. The vehicle has also been selected by the armies of Italy, Netherlands, Greece, Lithuania, Hungary, Qatar and Croatia, mostly replacing older systems like the M109 howitzers.
