On March 23, the country celebrated Pakistan Day with patriotic fervor. The National Day Parade was also organized in Islamabad’s new Parade Ground to honor the momentous day. The armed services displayed their military weaponry during the parade to exhibit their power. The newly incorporated military equipment, notably the nuclear-capable SH-15 howitzer, was also on show.
In January, the Pakistan Army officially received the first batch of SH-15 howitzers from China. The SH-15 is a nuclear-capable self-propelled 155mm howitzer manufactured in China.
Pakistan inked a contract with NORINCO, a Chinese state-owned defense firm, in December 2019 to purchase 236 howitzers.
The SH-15 had its global debut in November 2018 at the Zhuhai Airshow in China, where it was displayed by NORINCO. The SH-15 was also on display during the same month’s International Defence Exhibition and Seminar (IDEAS) in Karachi.
Previously, the SH-15 trials were also held in secret in Pakistan. A picture of the secret trials was leaked and published in Chinese defence journals, revealing the development.
About SH-15 Howitzer
The SH-15 howitzer is conceptually comparable to the French CAESAR truck-mounted howitzer. It is built on a Shaanxi truck chassis with a 155 mm gun-howitzer added at the back. It has a computerized firing control system, as well as navigation, location, and targeting systems.
It can fire both direct and indirect fire. It has a maximum range of 53 kilometers when using a rocket-assisted V-LAP projectile. It has a rate of fire of up to 6 rounds per minute.
It has a conversion time of less than one minute, which means it can fire rounds and relocate from its attacking position to avoid counter-fire in seconds.
It can carry up to six crew members. To defend the cabin crew from small arms fire and shell splinters, the front cabin is armored and features bulletproof windows and a windshield.
It weights around 22 tons. It has a top speed of 90 km/h. It has a maximum range of 600 km, which is the distance it can travel after fully filling the tank.
To read our blog on “Army Successfully Tests Pakistan-Made Automatic Grenade Launcher,” click here.
