Thanks for perfect summary. But 1 questions to GLSDB. I read that production should be 500 per month, but the capacity is mostly reserved by Taiwan, but Taiwan should allow to send them to UA.
I've read two sources that said 50. That said, there were thousands of rocket motors that were going to be destroyed before being repurposed for this weapon. The motors were matched up with parts of a 250 lbs. general purpose bomb. So it's certainly possible that they could produce more but I haven't read the same article that you did.
"Production of the French Caesar 155mm gun increased from two to six a month, which is fine."
Just some additional infos on Nexter's Caesar cannon production :
- Production time for each cannon is said to have changed from 30 months to 15 months.
- To be more precise, Nexter claims it could potentially finish up to 8 new cannons per months depending on the commands (I guess after a 15 months delay ?)
- The increase production is meant to replace the 30 cannons delivered by Franch to Ukraine + 6 additional cannons contracted by Ukraine. The article does not talk about others customers, I guess they will be delivered latter. Previously Nexter boasted about its order book to be full up to beyond 2030.
- In a general efforts not limited to Caesar, Nexter is starting to work through production line. Until now was purely artisanal with team of mechanics producing equipment from scratch. Caesar will now be completed by passing through 4 productions lines.
- The biggest increase of production seems to be in favour of the Scorpio program for the French Army meant to modernize its park of vehicles (300 Jaguar, 1.818 Griffon et 2.038 Serval). As such the company went from 830 workers to 1 485.
- There is a part about shell production but it is confusing : The yearly production is said to be 60 000 (but which year and why shells exactly ?). The goal is to increase it by 50% in 2024 and double it in 2025. However, monthly production of 155mm shells (aka those used by Caesar cannons) is said to be 1 000 with a goal to reach 3 000 at the beginning of 2024. Those are the words of French defence minister during a parliament hearing.
Good info, thanks. I am a bit amazed that production lines were used before. Maybe they are hand-crafting each shell casing, as well.
With many NATO countries producing "standardized" 155mm shells with flight characteristics unique to the weapon system their country produces, I would be satisfied if France produced enough shells for the 30 (with two losses?) artillery pieces they were kind enough to send to Ukraine. 3,000 shells a month for ~30 guns means 100 shells a month per gun. 3-4 shells per gun each day isn't enough. And when Ukraine uses different shells with different characteristics they have to recalculate each fire mission.
I know France and Australia have a deal where France builds the casings and Australia provides the explosive, but I don't know if that's part of the 3,000 or is a different effort.
On top of the 30 Caesar "Mk1 regular variant" pledged by France, Ukraine has received 19 Caesar 8x8 initially commanded by Danemark for its own armed forces. The Caesar 8x8 are a variant on a heavier Tatra 817 8x8 chassis, an up-armoured body and an improved auto-loader. Initially French diverted the Danish commands toward Ukraine (not sure if the Danish government was even ok with this) and latter Danemark just sent all of its Caesar 8x8. All Caesar 8x8 were confirmed delivered.
I dont know if all 30 Caesar "Mk1" from the French army were delivered but I assume they were since the French army received 30 Caesar NG, a new modernized variant planned to replace all Caesar in use, either by producing brand new models or retro fitting older ones.
Oryx signals 2 Caesar and 1 Caesar 8x8 destroyed. So that makes 46 Caesar in use by Ukraine.
As far as I remember the deal between France and Australia was meant to increase 155mm production indeed. So I expect it is part of the effort to reach 3 000 155mm shells per months. There is a plan to produce explosives in France proper but the factory wont be open before 2025. As I understand there is currently no indigenous production. Kind of ironic given how our majority has used indigenous defence production as one of its favorite talking points for elections during the past 5 years.
What is your opinion of North Korea joining the line of supporting the Russians, especially since the support it may provide is better than that of Iran, especially since there is news about the Russians’ intention to give them a number of nuclear warheads and to help the North Koreans obtain new warplanes, in addition to the fact that North Korea possesses thousands of missiles? More than Iran, especially with modern versions, and the Iranians excel in the short missile category, 300 km to 500 km.
Really great work (again!)... Thank you.
Thanks for perfect summary. But 1 questions to GLSDB. I read that production should be 500 per month, but the capacity is mostly reserved by Taiwan, but Taiwan should allow to send them to UA.
I've read two sources that said 50. That said, there were thousands of rocket motors that were going to be destroyed before being repurposed for this weapon. The motors were matched up with parts of a 250 lbs. general purpose bomb. So it's certainly possible that they could produce more but I haven't read the same article that you did.
"Production of the French Caesar 155mm gun increased from two to six a month, which is fine."
Just some additional infos on Nexter's Caesar cannon production :
- Production time for each cannon is said to have changed from 30 months to 15 months.
- To be more precise, Nexter claims it could potentially finish up to 8 new cannons per months depending on the commands (I guess after a 15 months delay ?)
- The increase production is meant to replace the 30 cannons delivered by Franch to Ukraine + 6 additional cannons contracted by Ukraine. The article does not talk about others customers, I guess they will be delivered latter. Previously Nexter boasted about its order book to be full up to beyond 2030.
- In a general efforts not limited to Caesar, Nexter is starting to work through production line. Until now was purely artisanal with team of mechanics producing equipment from scratch. Caesar will now be completed by passing through 4 productions lines.
- The biggest increase of production seems to be in favour of the Scorpio program for the French Army meant to modernize its park of vehicles (300 Jaguar, 1.818 Griffon et 2.038 Serval). As such the company went from 830 workers to 1 485.
- There is a part about shell production but it is confusing : The yearly production is said to be 60 000 (but which year and why shells exactly ?). The goal is to increase it by 50% in 2024 and double it in 2025. However, monthly production of 155mm shells (aka those used by Caesar cannons) is said to be 1 000 with a goal to reach 3 000 at the beginning of 2024. Those are the words of French defence minister during a parliament hearing.
https://www.challenges.fr/economie/a-roanne-la-production-du-canon-caesar-passee-en-economie-de-guerre_870883
Good info, thanks. I am a bit amazed that production lines were used before. Maybe they are hand-crafting each shell casing, as well.
With many NATO countries producing "standardized" 155mm shells with flight characteristics unique to the weapon system their country produces, I would be satisfied if France produced enough shells for the 30 (with two losses?) artillery pieces they were kind enough to send to Ukraine. 3,000 shells a month for ~30 guns means 100 shells a month per gun. 3-4 shells per gun each day isn't enough. And when Ukraine uses different shells with different characteristics they have to recalculate each fire mission.
I know France and Australia have a deal where France builds the casings and Australia provides the explosive, but I don't know if that's part of the 3,000 or is a different effort.
On top of the 30 Caesar "Mk1 regular variant" pledged by France, Ukraine has received 19 Caesar 8x8 initially commanded by Danemark for its own armed forces. The Caesar 8x8 are a variant on a heavier Tatra 817 8x8 chassis, an up-armoured body and an improved auto-loader. Initially French diverted the Danish commands toward Ukraine (not sure if the Danish government was even ok with this) and latter Danemark just sent all of its Caesar 8x8. All Caesar 8x8 were confirmed delivered.
I dont know if all 30 Caesar "Mk1" from the French army were delivered but I assume they were since the French army received 30 Caesar NG, a new modernized variant planned to replace all Caesar in use, either by producing brand new models or retro fitting older ones.
Oryx signals 2 Caesar and 1 Caesar 8x8 destroyed. So that makes 46 Caesar in use by Ukraine.
As far as I remember the deal between France and Australia was meant to increase 155mm production indeed. So I expect it is part of the effort to reach 3 000 155mm shells per months. There is a plan to produce explosives in France proper but the factory wont be open before 2025. As I understand there is currently no indigenous production. Kind of ironic given how our majority has used indigenous defence production as one of its favorite talking points for elections during the past 5 years.
Thanks. Irony seems to be a staple of politicians everywhere.
Thanks Don for 3 good interesting reports or maybe 1 report with 3 parts but anyway I found it informative and interesting
Thanks so much to Don and Tom for this excellent service! Very much appreciated, must-read!
What is your opinion of North Korea joining the line of supporting the Russians, especially since the support it may provide is better than that of Iran, especially since there is news about the Russians’ intention to give them a number of nuclear warheads and to help the North Koreans obtain new warplanes, in addition to the fact that North Korea possesses thousands of missiles? More than Iran, especially with modern versions, and the Iranians excel in the short missile category, 300 km to 500 km.