German Panzerhaubitze 2000 Self-Propelled Howitzer
Panzerhaubitze 2000 (PZH 2000) is a modern German self-propelled gun howitzer. The first prototypes of the vehicle were created in the mid-1990s, and serial production started in 1998 and is still ongoing. PZH 2000 is powered by the MTU 881 Ka-500 engine with 986 HP. The vehicle is armed with a single 155 mm Rheinmetall L / 52 cannon howitzer and a single 7.92 mm MG3 machine gun. The unit cost of PZH2000 is estimated at USD 4.5 million.
PZH 2000 was created to replace the M109 self-propelled howitzers from the United States. Originally, at the beginning of the 1980s, work was carried out on a new SP-70 self-propelled gun in several European countries in cooperation. However, in 1986, the cooperation was terminated and the participants of the SP-70 program. including Germany, undertook work on their own. The result of this work is - in the case of Germany - the PZH 2000. It is currently one of the most advanced self-propelled guns in the world. It has a high rate of fire (up to 10 shots in 56 seconds!) And considerable range: the classic missile has a range of approx. 40 km, and rocket-assisted up to 56 km! PZH2000 also has high mobility. The disadvantage is the relatively high weight, reaching 55-56 tons. The Panzerhaubitze 2000 took part in combat operations in Afghanistan in August 2006. It has also been exported to several countries, including Greece, the Netherlands, Qatar and Italy.
