During the 29th edition of Eurosatory 2026, the international defense industry exhibition organized by Coges Events and taking place on June 15–19 this year at Paris-Nord Villepinte near Paris, the German-French joint venture KNDS, comprising France’s KNDS France and Germany’s KNDS Deutschland, unveiled a technology demonstrator of the LORAS (LOng Range Artillery System) 155-mm tracked self-propelled howitzer.
Photos: Jakub Link-Lenczowski, MILMAG
It is a tracked variant of the howitzer with the RCH 155 AGM (Remote Controlled Howitzer 155 Artillerie-Geschütz-Modul) turret system, which had previously been integrated with wheeled GTK Boxer 8×8 and Piranha IV Heavy Mission Carrier 10×10 chassis, the RMMV HX3 10×10 truck chassis as the Radhaubitze, and the tracked ASCOD 2 chassis as NEMESIS in cooperation with General Dynamics European Land Systems.
This time, KNDS used a modified chassis known as Boxer Tracked, which was presented four years ago in the role of a light tank.
The vehicle is powered by an MTU 881 CR turbocharged diesel engine developing 1,180 hp (900 kW), with power transmitted through a Renk HSWL 256 transmission. With a combat weight of 45 tonnes, this provides a power-to-weight ratio of more than 26 hp/t. The chassis weighs around 28 tonnes and has a payload capacity of 17 tonnes. The hull is 11.5 m long, 3.5 m high and 3.5 m wide.
The main armament is a 155-mm gun-howitzer with a 58-caliber barrel, or 8.99 m, making it longer than the standard RCH 155 AGM, which uses an L52 barrel, or 8.06 m. It is capable of firing more than eight rounds per minute. The longer barrel increases the firing range to 60 km and up to 80–100 km, depending on the ammunition used, whether standard or rocket-assisted, compared with 40 km or 60 km for the shorter barrel.
The ammunition load consists of 30 rounds and 144 modular propellant charges. The system can fire through 360 degrees in azimuth and at elevations from -2.5 degrees to +65 degrees. It supports MRSI (Multiple Rounds Simultaneous Impact) fire missions, in which rounds fired on different trajectories strike the target area simultaneously, as well as rapid repositioning at the firing position and immediate departure after the last round is fired (Shoot and Scoot 2.0), engagement of moving targets, and direct fire, including a Hunter-Killer function.
Secondary armament consists of a remotely controlled weapon station and smoke grenade launchers for self-defense. The howitzer can also be adapted for remote operation without a crew on board.