The Armed Forces of Senegal have awarded French company Nexter a contract for the delivery of 105 LG guns and 105mm ammunition. The 105 LG is a 105mm towed artillery gun, notable for its ability to be transported by any type of vehicle, aircraft, helicopter, and even parachute due to its relatively small weight of 1,650 kg. The contract for eight guns and associated ammunition came into effect on April 20. This contract with the Armed Forces of Senegal is the first direct sale between Nexter and Senegal and comes shortly after Nexter supplied six Narwhal remotely operated naval guns which equip the three patrol boats ordered for the Senegalese Navy.
The LG1 is a modern 105 mm towed howitzer designed and produced by GIAT Industries (now Nexter group) of France. Its ability to be transported by any type of vehicle, aircraft, helicopter, and even parachute, ensures it is ideally mobile for troops operating in extreme climates and difficult terrain. The gun has been used by the Belgian Army, Canadian Army, Colombian National Army, Indonesian Marine Corps, Singapore Army, and the Royal Thai Army. The current service version with Canadian artillery is the LG1 Mark II, of which 28 were purchased for the Royal Canadian Horse Artillery (RCHA).
The LG1 howitzer is a 105 mm towed artillery piece that features both low weight and a high level of accuracy over long distances. Its lightweight construction gives the barrel a relatively short lifespan. The gun was specifically designed for use by rapid deployment forces with attributes such as ruggedness, ease of operation, and reduced weight. It can fire all NATO standard 105 mm ammunition up to a range of 17 kilometers (11 mi) using HE-ER G3 base bleed rounds.
The Senegalese Army chose this gun because it perfectly meets the requirements of modern combat: thanks to its lightness and unrivalled rate of fire, it can be put into battery in less than 30 seconds by a crew of 5 gunners, firing 12 rounds per minute, and this, at a maximum range of 17 km thanks to Nexter Arrowtech’s ERG 3 105mm extended range ammunition. If necessary, it can escape detection by trajectory radars thanks to the very low arrow of its trajectories in tense firing, up to a range of 11 km. It is also capable of direct fire up to 2 km.
