Nexter Unveils Dual CAESAR Mk1 Self-Propelled Howitzers for DGA
During his visit to the KNDS facility in Roanne, the Minister of the Armed Forces, Sébastien Lecornu, observed the rollout of the first refurbished CAESARs designated for the French Army following their transfer to Ukraine.
This shipment follows a record-speed order placed by the DGA and a manufacturing timeline reduced to under 15 months.
Delivery in exceptional time
To substitute the CAESARs sent to Ukraine, the Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) procured 18 CAESAR 6X6 MkI models in July 2022. This remarkable agility, facilitated by an early production initiation, was complemented by an unusual decrease in our production timelines: 15 months later, the Minister of the Armed Forces attended in Roanne the first units rolling off the assembly line, with the production cycle halved. Six CAESARs are currently being fabricated each month, and eight will be produced in 2024 if demand necessitates it, compared to two to four (occasionally) prior to early 2022.
An industrial challenge during wartime economy
To achieve this exceptional deadline, Nexter, a KNDS entity, has adapted to a wartime economic strategy: significant investments from its own resources to accumulate stocks of raw materials, proactive acquisitions from its supply chain, enhancement of new facilities, and deployment of advanced machinery.
The shift to a wartime economic posture amid an international electronic components crisis has demanded substantial efforts to reduce the production duration of a CAESAR artillery piece from 30 to 15 months while more than doubling manufacturing rates. This achievement, which will also benefit all other CAESAR 6X6 clients, is a collective effort made feasible through the collaboration of our partners and suppliers.
Nexter’s adjustment to the requirements of a wartime economy also manifests in enhanced support for our clientele. Consequently, Nexter has worked on the local establishment of its support system for the Ukrainian armed forces, positioning itself as close to the front lines as possible, in partnership with a local ally and thanks to the vigorous mobilization of its technical specialists and supply chain.
