The Federal Office for German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr) Equipment, Information Technology, and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) has awarded Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) a contract for the production of ten new type Panzerhaubitze 2000 (PzH 2000) self-propelled howitzers. The two parties signed the contractual agreement in Berlin. Delivery of the systems is scheduled to begin in 2025. They will replace the German artillery`s self-propelled howitzers, which were recently handed over to Ukraine as part of military support operations. The agreement concluded also includes options for the production of a total of 18 additional PzH 2000s in three lots of six systems.
The Budget Committee of the German federal parliament (Bundestag) has approved the purchase of ten PzH 2000 self-propelled howitzers. All procurement contracts that have an order value of more than 25 million euros must be submitted to the Budget Committee for approval. This is the first step in replacing the vehicles given to Ukraine. The order value for the new Panzerhaubitzen 2000 is 184 million euros, which is why Parliament has to approve the investment. The new self-propelled howitzers are financed via the individual plan 60 of the federal budget. The new howitzers are to be delivered to the troops in 2025 and 2026.
The Panzerhaubitze 2000 (“armoured howitzer 2000”) is a German 155 mm self-propelled howitzer developed by Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) and Rheinmetall in the 1980s and 1990s for the German Army. 185 delivered between 1998 and 2002. Fourteen units (7+3+4) were sent to Ukraine by October 2022. 16 sold to Croatia and 21 to Lithuania. 108 to remain in active service. Germany ordered 10 additional ones in March 2023 + an option for 18 (3 batches of 6). The PzH 2000 also equips the armies of Italy, Ukraine, Netherlands, Greece, Lithuania, Hungary, Qatar and Croatia, mostly replacing older systems such as the M109 howitzer.
Rheinmetall designed the 155 mm 52-calibre JBMOU compliant rifled gun (60-rifles, right-hand spiral), Wegmann supplied both the chassis, sharing some components with the Leopard 2, and the turret for the gun. It is capable of a very high rate of fire; in burst mode it can fire three rounds in nine seconds, ten rounds in 56 seconds, and can—depending on barrel heating—fire between 10 and 13 rounds per minute continuously. The PzH 2000 has automatic support for up to five rounds of Multiple Round Simultaneous Impact (MRSI). Replenishment of shells is automated. Two operators can load 60 shells and propelling charges in less than 12 minutes.
