Defense manufacturers are picking up the pace required by the war economy launched by Emmanuel Macron immediately after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Among the priorities, it is a question of replenishing the weapons taken from the stocks of the armies, including the 30 Caesar guns sold to kyiv. On Wednesday, during a parliamentary hearing, Sébastien Lecornu, Minister of the Armed Forces, announced that they will be replaced in March 2024.
If for some this time still seems too long, it is a significant 60% reduction in production times for the factories of Nexter, manufacturer of the mobile cannon, and Arquus, which supplies the vehicle in which the device is installed.
55 Caesar ordered in 2022
This acceleration aims to deliver to the Army the 30 Caesar 6X6 delivered in two installments, 12 of which at the beginning of the year, as well as the 19 in 8×8 version destined for Denmark, which finally sold them to Kiev in January.
The success of the Caesars in the field has also been a lever as of 2022 in export contracts. Nexter sold 55 of them, all versions combined, to 3 customers, plus France.
The Czech Republic has ordered 10 in 8X8 version to complete the 52 systems it purchased in 2021. Belgium and Lithuania have ordered 9 and 18 Caesar 6X6 MkII respectively.
The 6X6 MkII is the latest version started in 2021 with an order from the General Directorate of Armaments (DGA) for the Army. It has a new Arquus-designed chassis with a cabin that is better protected against ballistic projectiles and mines and improvised explosive devices (IEDs). To change position more quickly, its motorization has been improved with a 460 CV engine compared to 215 CV.
Source: BFM TV
