The M109, a widely-used American howitzer, has been operated by the Swiss Armed Forces since 1971. Under Swiss operation, the M109 has received numerous modernisations, though it is gradually being phased out of service, as its service life is approaching its end. [1]
During the 1950s, the Swiss Army considered the development of a local self-propelled howitzer. The Eidgenoessische Konstruktionswerkstaette was commissioned to study this possibility.
In 1966, the development of a system based on the Panzer 61 chassis was started, and a 15.5 cm L/42 canon was selected, a range of up to 30 km, and 6 rounds per minute with an automatic loading system. Four systems were manufactured for the development. [2]
Due to technical difficulties in the development, and financial considerations, the development was suspended, and the M109 was selected as the future self-propelled howitzer of the Swiss Army.
Over time, a total of 581 M109 were ordered, and today, 133 M-109 KAWEST WE are in service
146 Pz Hb 66("15.5 cm Panzerhaubitze 66"), purchased with the armament program 1968, and introduced from 1971. This first batch is made of the first generation of M109 with a L-23 calibre canon. [3]
120 Pz Hb 74("15.5 cm Panzerhaubitze 74") purchased with the armament program RP 74, and introduced from 1974 to 1978.This batch is made of the M109A1B with a L-39 calibre canon. All were retired by 2003. [6]
207 Pz Hb 79("15.5 cm Panzerhaubitze 79") purchased with the armament program RP 79, introduction from 1981 to 1983. This batch is made of the M109A1B with a L-39 calibre canon. 182 were retired by 2003. [7]
108 Pz Hb 88("15.5 cm Panzerhaubitze 88") purchased with the armament program RP 88, introduction from 1991 to 1992. This batch is made of the M109A1B with a L-39 calibre canon. [9]
133 Pz Hb KAWEST WE are in use, 90 used in five artillery divisions, and 43 used in basic training, [11] 62 were sold to other countries, and few variants remain in museums.
The armament program "Artillerie Wirkplattform und Wirkmittel 2026" for the replacement of the M109 KAWEST WE is ongoing.
Two systems were shortlisted in 2022, the BAE Archer and the RCH 155 as indicated in the table below.
| Potential equipment | Image | Origin | Vehicle base | Quantity | Calibre | In service from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archer |  |  Sweden  Germany | Rheinmetall HX2 (8×8) | Not public | 155 mm L/52 | Around 2028 |
| RCH 155 |  | Germany | Boxer (8×8) | Not public | 155 mm L/52 | Around 2028 |
 Illustration of base vehicle |  Switzerland Germany | Piranha IV (10×10) |
The trials are planned for 2023–2024, and the selection for the successor will take place in 2025. The new self-propelled howitzer should be financed with the Armament Program 2026. [18] The successor should be in service by the beginning of the 2030s.
The M109 is an American 155 mm turreted self-propelled howitzer, first introduced in the early 1960s to replace the M44. It has been upgraded a number of times, most recently to the M109A7. The M109 family is the most common Western indirect-fire support weapon of maneuver brigades of armored and mechanized infantry divisions.
The AS-90, known officially as Gun Equipment 155 mm L131, is an armoured self-propelled artillery used by the British Army.
The Mowag Piranha is a family of armoured fighting vehicles designed by the Swiss company Mowag.
Hummel was a German self-propelled gun used by the Wehrmacht during World War II. Based on the Geschützwagen III/IV chassis and armed with the 15 cm sFH 18/1 L/30 howitzer, it saw action from early 1943 until the end of the war. Its ordnance inventory designation was Sd.Kfz. 165.
The Panzerhaubitze 2000, meaning "armoured howitzer 2000" and abbreviated PzH 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. 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. Replenishment of shells is automated. Two operators can load 60 shells and propelling charges in less than 12 minutes. The PzH 2000 equips the armies of Germany, Italy, Ukraine, Netherlands, Greece, Lithuania, Hungary, Qatar and Croatia, mostly replacing older systems such as the M109 howitzer. In November 2019, a PzH 2000 L52 gun fired a shell a distance of almost 67 km. As of 2020, a prototype L52 gun with a new charge is being tested for a range of at least 75 km.
The Mowag Eagle is a series of wheeled armoured vehicle designed by Mowag a Swiss company now owned by GDELS.
The 7.5 cm KwK 42 L/70 was a 7.5 cm calibre German tank gun used on German armoured fighting vehicles in the Second World War. The gun was the armament of the Panther medium tank and two variants of the Jagdpanzer IV self-propelled anti-tank gun. On the latter it was designated as the "7.5 cm Panzerabwehrkanone 42" anti-tank gun.
The Camion Équipé d'un Système d'Artillerie or CAESAR is a French 155 mm, 52-caliber self-propelled howitzer that can fire 39/52 caliber NATO-standard shells. It is installed on a 6x6 or 8x8 truck chassis. Equipped with an autonomous weapon network incorporating an inertial navigation system and ballistic computer, the CAESAR can accurately strike targets more than 40 kilometres (25 mi) away using "Extended Range, Full Bore" (ERFB) ammunition with base bleed, or targets over 55 kilometres (34 mi) away using rocket assisted or smart ammunition.
Fälthaubits 77 or FH77 is a Swedish 155 mm howitzer, developed and manufactured by Bofors. It is also colloquially known as the Bofors gun in India. There were several versions, the original with a 38 calibre barrel and sliding block mechanism, the export version FH77 B version with a 39 calibre barrel and an interrupted ogival screw breech. For the demonstrator of the Archer Artillery System, some FH77A were modified into FH 77 AD L/45, while the series production were FH77Bs rebuilt into FH77 BW L/52. The carriage was also used for the "12 cm rörlig kustartilleripjäs m/80 KARIN", used in the Swedish coastal artillery.
The 7.5 cm KwK 37 L/24(7.5 cm Kampfwagenkanone 37 L/24) was a short-barreled, howitzer-like German 75 mm tank gun used during World War II, primarily as the main armament of the early Panzer IV tank. Slightly modified as StuK 37, it was also mounted in early StuG III assault guns.
The 5 cm KwK 39 L/60(5 cm Kampfwagenkanone 39 L/60) was a German 50 mm calibre tank gun used during the Second World War, primarily as the main armament of later models of the German Panzer III tank from December 1941 onwards. It was produced when the well-armoured T-34 and KV-1 tanks were encountered in ever increasing numbers on the Eastern Front, although it was only partially successful in its role. It was later superseded by the 7.5 cm KwK 40 L/43.
The DURO is a series of wheeled, multi-purpose military transport vehicles produced by General Dynamics European Land Systems/MOWAG in both four and six wheel drive. It was initially developed for Switzerland by Bucher-Guyer AG in Niederweningen, Switzerland. An initial 3000 vehicles order for the Swiss Armed Forces came through in 1994. In January 2003 the production was transferred to MOWAG in Kreuzlingen. Over 4,000 DURO 4x4 and 6x6 vehicles are now in service worldwide. The main customers are Switzerland, Germany, Venezuela, and the UK. In addition to these, the vehicle is used in many other countries for special purposes.
The 12.8 cm Pak 44 was a German anti-tank gun used during World War II. It was designed as a result of experiences on the Eastern front in 1943. The German Army came upon the Soviet 122 mm field guns and issued a requirement for a similar weapon. Development initially concentrated on a field gun known as the Kanone K 44. However, once heavier Soviet tanks such as the IS-2 started to appear, the design requirements were altered to include an anti-armour role.
The Piranha IV is the fourth generation of the Piranha family of armoured vehicles by MOWAG GmbH. Its development started in the 2000s as a fully private venture. A first prototype was unveiled in 2001, and a second in 2004. This new version offered an increased volume inside the cabin, and a higher level of protection.
The Artillery Gun Module is an air-portable 155 mm self-propelled howitzer designed by Krauss-Maffei Wegmann. It is based on technology used in the German Army Panzerhaubitze 2000 system, to provide more air portable self-propelled artillery, transportable by Airbus A400 aircraft.
The SMArt 155 is a German 155 mm artillery round designed for a long-range, indirect fire top-attack role against armoured vehicles. The projectile was developed in 1989 by Diehl BGT Defence in Überlingen, Germany, with Rheinmetall and started full-rate production for the German Army in 1998. It consists of a 47-kilogram (104 lb) heavy artillery projectile containing two autonomous, sensor-fused, "fire-and-forget" submunitions. Due to the submunitions, it has been considered by some to be a cluster munition. As of 2008, representatives of the German defense ministry have referred to it as not being classified as submunition weapons, which were prohibited by the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions.
The Panzerkanone 68 is a Swiss self-propelled howitzer produced by the Eidgenoessische Konstruktionswerkstaette to meet a Swiss Army requirement. Only four were manufactured; they served for three years with the Swiss military before being retired.
Major topics | |||||||||
| History |  | ||||||||
| Geography |
| ||||||||
| Politics | |||||||||
| Economy | |||||||||
| Society |
| ||||||||
 | This article needs additional or more specific categories .(September 2023) |