General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDELS) has announced that, in collaboration with KNDS Deutschland, they have been selected by the Swiss national procurement agency armasuisse to provide the Swiss Army’s new artillery system.
This partnership will see the integration of KNDS’s 155mm Artillery Gun Module (AGM) with GDELS’s PIRANHA IV, resulting in an artillery system that aims to set new benchmarks in firepower, precision strike, and maneuverability.
The artillery system will be based on the PIRANHA IV Heavy Mission Carrier, a 10×10 variant of the established PIRANHA family already in use by the Swiss Army. This version combines high payload and volume with low axle loads and enhanced agility. The PIRANHA IV’s five-axle configuration, with four steered axles, provides significant advantages in mobility and recoil absorption, especially during “shoot-and-scoot” operations. This means the vehicle can rapidly cross trenches and has a tight turning radius of less than 18.5 meters, enabling it to reposition quickly, even in challenging terrain.
The PIRANHA IV’s design allows the system to operate independently on-road and move quickly between firing positions off-road. In combination with the AGM, the artillery system will feature rapid deployment capabilities, including firing without lengthy preparation, engaging targets while moving, direct aiming, and the ability to deliver 360-degree fire coverage.
The new artillery system is intended to bolster Switzerland’s defense posture, ensuring that its military forces have cutting-edge capabilities to respond to evolving threats.
The PIRANHA IV Heavy Mission Carrier is designed for mobility and agility and to provide the Swiss Army with state-of-the-art firepower and replace M109 howitzers.