Czech Republic Signs Contract to Acquire 52 CAESAR Artillery Guns from Nexter Group

Czech Defense Minister Lubomír Metnar signed a contract for the acquisition of 52 CAESAR self-propelled artillery guns in an eight-wheel drive (8x8) version, in the presence of French Minister of the Armed Forces Florence Parly and Nicolas Chamussy, CEO of Nexter Group on September 30 in Prague.

With this major order, the Czech Republic becomes the third European customer and the seventh user of the CAESAR in the world. With more than 350 units ordered in France and abroad, the CAESAR is the benchmark in the wheeled artillery systems market, A Nexter release said today.

After the sale of 19 CAESAR 8x8 to Denmark mounted on Tatra Trucks chassis and the supply of 6x6 TITUS armored vehicles to the Czech Army, produced under license with the Czechoslovak Group (CSG), cooperation between Nexter and the Czech defense industry is developing around a large-scale artillery program.

In addition to Tatra Trucks, who supplies the chassis, the contract provides for the involvement of several CSG Group companies: Excalibur Army is in charge of assembling the CAESARs intended for the Czech Republic, Tatra Defence Vehicles produces the armored cabin locally, and RETIA integrates the communication resources and equipment linked to the artillery fire control system.

The partnership also covers ammunition, mainly with the companies STV and Explosia, to enable local supply of conventional shells and modular charges. Special ammunition such as complex ammunition or ammunition with insensitive explosives will be supplied by Nexter's ammunition unit.

Czech industry, with a local share of over 40%, will be fully involved in the construction of these systems. The main partner is Czechoslovak Group, whose subsidiaries Excalibur Army , Tatra Defense Vehicle , Tatra Trucks and Retia will participate directly in the project. This contract extends the industrial partnership already established with the Titus armored vehicle and contributes to the emergence of a European industrial and technological defense base.