Artillery: March 22, 2002

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Australia plans to replace its artillery (111 towed 105mm L118 howitzers and 36 towed 155mm M198 howitzers) with a single 155mm (52 caliber) system. It is considering an unarmored mobile gun such as the French Caesar. (Several weapons of this type are available, but Caesar is the probable choice as it requires a smaller crew and uses a truck chassis already in service with the Australian Army). A few 105mm guns might be kept in service to support the airborne battalion. One plan calls for buying a somewhat smaller number of Caesars and then providing infantry battalions with 120mm mortars to supplement their fire support.--Stephen V Cole