Czech-based military firm Excalibur Army has unveiled a prototype of the new Morana self-propelled wheeled howitzer at the Eurosatory 2022 defense exhibition in Paris.
According to a press release from Excalibur Army, this modern artillery system on the Tatra Force 8×8 chassis has a 155 mm cannon with a barrel length of 52 calibres installed in an armoured rotating turret. It is a fully automated artillery system that is fully compliant with NATO standards and can conduct highly effective target fire thanks to modern electronic systems and main weapon performance.
The unique construction of the self-propelled gun howitzer Morana represents a combination of a car chassis and an independent tower artillery system with a crew protected by armor. It combines the advantages of lighter self-propelled artillery systems of the TMG (Truck Mounted Gun) category and heavy artillery systems with battle towers.
It, therefore, offers low weight and associated easy transport, high mobility on paved roads and in difficult terrain, while eliminating the need for road carrier logistics, as is the case of tracked artillery systems, a high level of crew protection, fully automatic loading system, weapon guidance and aiming and large capacity of ammunition.
The basic capability of the onboard control system is to prepare the howitzer for firing within 40 seconds of stopping in the firing position. This operation is performed in automatic mode without the necessity to leave the cabin, ie. gun aiming at the target, ammunition charging and firing is controlled from workplaces in the cabin.
The diagnostic system enrolls the operating data of selected vehicle systems or fault conditions. The diagnostic system displays these parameters and statuses on the displays at the individual workplaces in the cab. Depending on the requirements, the selected data can be sent to the superior level to assess the combat capability or in case of need to plan logistic support. Fault conditions are archived for needs of service maintenance purposes.
The special architecture of the onboard control system enables the integration of the customer’s fire control system solution.
The new Morana howitzer has a modular construction, while the turret with weapons and ammunition can be installed on various chassis, including tracked.
