Comments for Attention Cold Warriors...

Attention Cold Warriors...

2009-04-07T14:17:30Z

Who'd have thought, 20 years ago, one of us would be publishing some pictures with this caption...

Dutch Artillerymen, training on their German howitzers, in Poland - for deployment to Afghanistan on a NATO mission.

Heh. It would have another completely different meaning, if things hadn't gone as they did 64 years ago.

Pictures copyright Ralph Zwilling, no reuse without permission.

Comment from JW on 2009-04-08

2009-04-08T14:27:46Z

Our German partnership unit put on a demo for us at Graf in 2001. Prefused rounds are loaded into the howitzer on a conveyor which reads the type of round and fuse, then stores it in the magazine. The computer pulls the rounds from the magazine and sends them to the autoloader based on the fire mission order. Fuses are electronically set and the system is fired electronically. They pulled into position and fired a 3 round mission in about 15 seconds. Total time in the firing position was less than a minute. The system also has optical sites for direct fire unlike the Paladin which has optical sites for direct fire deflection, but range is set by inputting the quadrant for the target range. In 2001 they did not have the software to conduct Multiple Round Simultaneous Impact (MRSI) missions, but they said they were working on it. Nice piece of equipment, but this thing is BIG!

Comment from Jason on 2009-04-08

2009-04-08T12:07:43Z

The Germans build nice things. I always thought, after riding in the luxurious M93A1 NBC recon vehicle, that we should have bought Pumas instead of Strykers.

Comment from Paul on 2009-04-08

2009-04-08T11:30:31Z

Gawd! That PzH2000 is a beautiful weapon! Even though I'm sold on the NLOS system, this German contender is absolutely marvellous! A true "Redleg Mercedes!" I've seen it fire its "self-TOT" demo on television, and that's truly impressive!

Next up? Afghan artillerymen training on Russian/Chinese howitzers at Graf?

Comment from Josh on 2009-04-07

2009-04-08T00:39:32Z

*head explodes*

Oh well, I suppose if the French and English can collaborate on things, this can happen too.

Just so long as we don't have Polish artillerymen firing French howitzers in Germany!

Comment from JimC on 2009-04-07

2009-04-07T18:33:49Z

Lovely looking piece of equipment. I wonder if we will buy some now that NLOS is probably on its deathwatch? We need some new 'stuff' bad.

Comment from BillT on 2009-04-07

2009-04-07T17:32:08Z

Wonder if the muzzleblast from the Lego Launcher would set all the scrub pines on fire *before* it uprooted them or *after*...

Comment from Kirk on 2009-04-07

2009-04-07T16:28:26Z

All is forgotten...all is forgiven. Next up: The Israelis bringing their Merkavas to Graf for live fire. BTW - isn't the PzH 2000 impressive?

Comment from Neffi on 2009-04-07

2009-04-07T14:35:12Z

So... is the double post a play on Ralph's last name?
Just asking...