Panzerhaubitze 2000


The Panzerhaubitze 2000, meaning "armoured howitzer 2000" and abbreviated PzH 2000, is a German 155 mm self-propelled howitzer developed by KNDS Deutschland and Rheinmetall in the 1980s and 1990s for the German Army. The PzH 2000 has automatic support for up to five rounds of multiple round simultaneous impact. Replenishment of shells is automated. Two operators can load 60 shells and propelling charges in less than 12 minutes. The PzH 2000 equips the armies of Germany, Italy, Ukraine, Netherlands, Greece, Lithuania, Hungary, Qatar, and Croatia, mostly replacing older systems such as the M109 howitzer.
In November 2019, a PzH 2000 L52 gun fired a shell a distance of almost. Rheinmetall started testing a prototype L52 gun barrel with a new charge for a range of at least since 2020. In May 2024, Rheinmetall announced that it would supply "a three-digit number" of L52 gun barrel systems for the Panzerhaubitze 2000 for "a European customer country".

Development

In 1986, Italy, the United Kingdom and Germany agreed to terminate their existing development of the PzH 155-1 programme, which had run into reliability problems and had design defects, notably being mounted on a modified tank chassis. German industry was asked for proposals to build a new design with a gun conforming to the JBMOU. Of the proposed designs, Wegmann's was selected.

Design

designed the 155 mm 52-calibre JBMOU compliant rifled gun, which is chromium-lined over its entire 8 m length and includes a muzzle brake on the end. The gun uses a new modular charge system with six charges, which can be combined to provide the optimal total charge for the range to the target, as well as the conventional bagged charge systems. Primer is loaded separately via a conveyor belt, and the entire loading, laying and clearing are completely automated.
The maximum range of the gun with standard issue DM92 propellant charges is 30 km with the standard DM121 boattail round, 40 km with base bleed rounds, and 54 km with M2005 V-LAP rocket-assisted projectile. With Rheinmetall's ERC high pressure unitary charge, the range is 36 km with DM121 BT round, 47 km with M0121 BB round and 67 km with the M2005 V-LAP RAP. The gun can also fire the SMArt 155 artillery round used by Germany and Greece.
Wegmann supplied both the chassis, sharing some components with the Leopard 2, and the turret for the gun. The system has superb cross-country performance because of its use of continuous tracks and considerable protection in the case of counter-fire. The turret includes a phased array radar on the front glacis for measuring the muzzle velocity of each round fired. Laying data can be automatically provided via encrypted radio from the battery fire direction centre.
A lighter, more air-portable version developed by KMW and called the Artillery Gun Module uses the gun in a module fitted to a lighter chassis.
In December 2013, Raytheon and the German Army completed compatibility testing for the M982 Excalibur extended range guided artillery shell with the PzH 2000. Ten Excaliburs were fired at ranges from 9 to 48 km. Shells hit within 3 m of their targets, with an average miss distance of 1 m at 48 km.

Upgrades

PzH 2000 A1

Upgrades:
  • Improved barrel laying system for a better accuracy.
  • Navigation system more accurate.

    PzH 2000 A2

Upgrades:
  • Auxiliary power unit of 1.9 kW added on the PzH 2000.
  • Ventilation opening at the rear of the turret added.
  • Cooling system added for the charges.
  • Stowage of the tow cable relocated.

    PzH 2000 A3

The PzH 2000 A3 focused on the anti-mine protection, but it never enter service, and the upgrades were not included in the A4 variant.

PzH 2000 A4

The first PzH 2000 in that variant was rolled out in November 2025. It is a newly produced gun, one that replaces the guns supplied to Ukraine for the German Army.
The upgrades focus on the electronic aspect:
  • The architecture of the weapon system remains a mix of analogue and digital systems.
  • KNDS Deutschland Centurion: a new fire control computer, replacing the MICMOS.
  • A new fuse programming station installed.
  • Improvement of the electronic architecture.
  • Integration of the Vulcano 155mm ammunition.

    PzH 2000 A5

In 2021, Germany and the Netherlands agreed to jointly define & execute a Mid-Life Update to the operational Pzh2000 in their inventories and ensure standardisation and availability.
The MLU variant is the PzH 2000 A5, it is designed for all customers, with core common elements, and optional elements, it is expected to be ready by 2028.
Upgrades:
  • Transition to a fully electronic / digital architecture, with a semi-open architecture of the weapon system.
  • Ammunition auto loader improvements.
  • Gun laying system improvements.
  • Two-slip ring solution for the turret.

    Combat record and alterations

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. It was then used regularly in support of coalition troops in Uruzgan province. The PzH 2000 was also used extensively during the Battle of Chora in June 2007. It was known as "the long arm of ISAF" and proved to be accurate and effective. However, the gun was criticised by the Dutch in Uruzgan province as the NBC system, designed for use in Europe, could not cope with the high level of dust in Afghanistan.
The guns have been modified with additional armor being fitted to the roof to protect against mortar rounds. There have been reports of other problems, including the need to keep it in the shade unless actually firing, the damage done when traveling on poorly built roads, and a significant 'cold gun' effect necessitating the use of 'warmers'.
Starting in June 2010 as a result of the Good Friday Battle, German ISAF troops at PRT Kunduz had three PzH 2000s at their disposal. They were first used on 10 July 2010 to provide support for the recovery of a damaged vehicle. This was the first time in its history that the Bundeswehr has used heavy artillery in combat. The PzH 2000 also played a key role during Operation Halmazag in November 2010, when the villages of Isa Khel and Quatliam were retaken from the Taliban by German paratroopers.

Russian invasion of Ukraine

On 21 June 2022, twelve PzH 2000s were deployed to Ukraine; seven came from Germany and five from the Netherlands. After a couple of weeks of intensive use, the guns required repairs, and error messages were being displayed as they are designed and built to fire no more than 100 shots a day. Germany considers 100 shots per day "a high-intensity mission". Ukraine has consistently exceeded this number, placing stress on the loading mechanism. Ukraine also fired "special ammunition at too great a distance." The Bundeswehr sent spare parts and a repair facility in Lithuania was chosen to repair the weapons. This came as Ukraine and KMW entered into a 1.7 billion euro deal to purchase 100 PzH 2000s.
Russian state news agency TASS reported that a PzH 2000 was destroyed by Russian forces in Kherson Oblast on 30 October 2022.
The open-source intelligence site Oryx reported one visually confirmed destroyed and one damaged Ukrainian PzH 2000 based on publicly available footage.
Due to the intensity of artillery fire on the battlefield, Lithuania undertook to repair twelve of the howitzers, finishing repair work on six by December 2022. By this time, the number of PzH 2000s sent to Ukraine rose to twenty-two; fourteen from Germany and eight from the Netherlands. As of February 2023, fifteen of the howitzers were waiting to be repaired in Slovakia, but were being held up at the border for several weeks due to legal issues.
According to the Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger the barrels of the PzH 2000 had an expected lifetime of around 4,500 shots, but to the surprise of the manufacturer they have achieved up to 20,000 in Ukraine.

Production status

As of June 2024, 41 remain to be manufactured, it includes 1 for Hungary, 22 for Germany and 18 for Ukraine.

Operators

Summary

Current operators

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Potential sales

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Failed bids

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RCH 155 vs Panzerhaubitze 2000

The RCH 155 is a wheeled self-propelled howitzer developed by Krauss-Maffei Wegmann, a German defence company.
The RCH 155 Module takes the firepower and the range of the Panzerhaubitze 2000 by using its gun, and combines it with an automated and remotely controlled gun module.
It is the world's first howitzer that can fire while in motion.
This is mainly to avoid enemy counter-artillery fire, as modern counter-battery radars can reconnoitre fire positions after firing in near real-time.
The crew of the RCH 155 consists of only two people: a commander and a military driver.
The Panzerhaubitze 2000 has five: commander, driver, gunner, and two loaders.