“Breaking New Ground: ASCALON® Gun Takes Testing to the Next Level”
KNDS is diligently progressing to showcase the advancement of ASCALON® 140mm cannon and its projectiles. The recent firing operation in May 2024 has demonstrated the exceptional capabilities of both the 140mm and 120mm barrels, along with the maturity of the APFSDS projectiles. The ASCALON® initiative comprises several hundred firings of 120mm and 140mm barrels from May 2022 to December 2025. The upcoming crucial phase involves firing tests from a Main Battle Tank (MBT) in 2025.
A versatile gun for enhanced modularity
KNDS’s demonstration involved firing with a 140mm ASCALON® barrel, swiftly transitioning to a 120mm ASCALON® barrel before conducting further firings of 120mm projectiles. This series of tests highlights the flexibility provided by the ASCALON® framework to equip any barrel ranging from 120mm to 140mm on a single carriage in under one hour.
ASCALON®, the cutting-edge gun concept for the evolution of the MGCS primary weapon
The groundbreaking ASCALON® concept achieves performance metrics that existing technologies cannot provide. It also offers significant potential for future development. As a pioneer in heavy-caliber artillery and munitions, KNDS crafted ASCALON® with an adaptable architecture to facilitate collaborative development of a combat artillery platform within the framework of the Franco-German MGCS initiative, establishing the groundwork for the future benchmark of European tank artillery and munitions.
