EXCALIBUR ARMY, a leading Czech company in the field of military vehicles, has introduced its new 152 mm self-propelled gun-howitzer vehicle named “DANA M2” with a video release on their YouTube channel on 16th June. This new system features a armoured cabin, new fire control system and several other enhancements rendering the renowned weapon a solution for improving existing 152 mm artillery capabilities. The M2 system is much faster, more accurate and autonomous. It keeps all the advantages of the original platform and still performs exceptionally – even after more than 40 years since the original concept was introduced to service in Czechoslovakia.
The DANA (DdÄ›lo Automobilnà NabÃjené Automaticky, gun on truck loaded automatically) is a wheeled self-propelled artillery piece. It is also known as the Samohybná Kanónová Húfnica vzor 77 (ShKH vz. 77) (self-propelled gun howitzer model 77); and was designed by KonÅ¡trukta TrenÄÃn and built by ZTS Dubnica nad Váhom in the former Czechoslovakia (now Slovakia). Introduced in the 1970s it was the first wheeled 152 mm self-propelled artillery gun to enter service. It is based on a modified 8×8 Tatra 815 chassis with excellent cross-country mobility. Currently it is in service with the Czech Republic, Libya, Poland, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Slovakia.
Compared to tracked vehicles wheeled vehicles have the advantage of being cheaper to build and easier to maintain with greater mobility. Tire pressure can be regulated to allow good mobility off-road and there is power-assisted steering on the front four wheels. It lowers 3 hydraulic stabilizers into the ground prior to firing, and has a roof mounted crane to assist with ammunition loading. The crew of the DANA consists of the driver and commander sitting in the front cabin, the gunner and loader operator are on the left side of the turret, the ammo handler (sets the shells’ primers) is on the right side turret.
EXCALIBUR ARMY offers a range of self-propelled howitzer class artillery guns with 122, 152 and 155 mm calibre available. Most of our howitzers are mounted on a wheeled original Tatra chassis and therefore are suitable for high speed travel on road as well a swift deployment in rough terrain. This increases the safety of the crew that often needs to carry out the given task and leave the firing post as soon as possible to avoid enemy countermeasures. The speed of operation, accuracy and crew safety is further enhanced by our modernization kit consisting of new fire control system and numerous vehicle upgrades. The howitzer system in our offer has been part of defence forces of several countries and the ShKH vz. 77 still is in active duty.
