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Welcome to the suggestion for the PzH 2000NL! Also known by its Dutch name of Pantserhouwitser 2000NL, this is a German self-propelled howitzer in service with the Netherlands. In War Thunder, this would be an addition to the Benelux subtree, adding a modern and more capable artillery vehicle to the French tree.
History
A Dutch M109 in Oldebroek, December 8th, 1976.
A number of attempts were made in the latter part of the 20th century to replace the American M109 self-propelled howitzer. Among these was the SP70 program, jointly developed by Germany( where it was known as PzH-155-1) as well Italy, and the United Kingdom. However, on multiple occasions it proved inferior to the M109 it was meant to replace, and was ultimately canceled in the 1980s. Not all was lost, as after a request was sent to German industry, Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) and Rheinmetall worked on a new design. The result was the Panzerhaubitze 2000, featuring Rheinmetall’s 155 mm L/52 gun and autoloader. In 1998, the Bundeswehr took interest and purchased the system.
The PzH 2000 uses a modular charge system combining six charges, allowing the crew to decide on the optimal amount of charges needed for a target. At the time of its introduction, it could fire a DM121 round out to 30 km, and fire all 60 of its rounds in 12 minutes. It also features support for multiple round simultaneous impact, allowing for up to 5 rounds to hit a target at the same time. While the PzH 2000 is not meant to take heavy fire, it can protect against 14.5 mm rounds and artillery shrapnel. Compared to the M109 it replaced in a few militaries, the PzH 2000 had a longer range, better armor, better maneuverability, and a faster rate of fire.
As the world entered the 2000s, the Netherlands began looking for a replacement for its own M109s. By this point, the design was starting to become long in the tooth, and in the eyes of many, had reached the upper limit of viable improvements. The Netherlands ultimately signed a contract with KMW in May of 2002 for the PzH 2000, the only option it saw as fitting its requirements for a new system. This coincided with the Royal Netherlands Army using a new model of logistics management, which would aid in keeping the PzH 2000 affordable to maintain and deploy. While the PzH 2000NL largely was similar to the German version, but was localized for the Royal Netherlands Army, notably using an FN MAG machine gun instead of an MG3 on the roof mount.
A Dutch PzH 2000 from Bravo Batterij, 41 Afdeling firing from Camp Holland on targets in Chora, Uruzgan, Afghanistan, June 16th, 2007.
In September of 2006, as part of the larger Battle of Panjwaii during the War in Afghanistan, Canada launched Operation Medusa. As part of this offensive, the Royal Netherlands Army’s PzH 2000NLs made their combat debut. Three of these were flown into southern Afghanistan, with two being redirected from reinforcing the Australian/Dutch Task Force Uruzgan to take part in Operation Medusa. During the offensive, the Dutch PzH 2000s worked with Canadian M777 howitzers to provide support for over 2,000 Afghan and ISAF forces from over 30 km. Following this operation, the Dutch PzH 2000s would distinguish themselves by protecting FOB Martello from a Taliban attack, and during the Battle of Chora, where it would fire from Camp Holland in Uruzgan Province.
During this time, the PzH 2000 crews noted the NBC system was ill suited to the dust in Afghanistan, as well as heat issues with the vehicle. The Dutch ultimately left Afghanistan in 2010, with the Germans utilizing their own PzH 2000s in Afghanistan the same year. Since Afghanistan, the Royal Netherlands Army has upgraded the PzH 2000’s ammunition suite, including the South African M711 and M712 high-explosive rounds, and notably M982 Excalibur guided artillery shell from the United States, which has a maximum range of about 50 km.
Alongside Germany, several other nations have bought the PzH 2000 for their military, including Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Qatar, and recently, Ukraine, following an escalation in 2022. The Netherlands sent five of its PzH 2000s to Ukraine, supplementing Germany’s seven. These were used during intense combat, firing over 100 rounds a day, resulting in the vehicles needing repairs from a facility in Lithuania. The Netherlands would later send three more PzH 2000s to Ukraine in late 2022.
Since 2021, the Netherlands and Germany have agreed to work on a midlife upgrade for its PzH 2000s. This includes updating the vehicle’s electronics to be safer and more modern, a new climate system to better adjust to outside temperatures, a new power supply, night vision equipment for the driver, a better loading system and improved roof armor. These improved PzH 2000s are expected to be in service by 2028 and last until 2040.
Dutch PzH 2000s from 41 Afdeling, Vuursteun Commando during exercise Allied Spirit, January 17th, 2015.
Specifications
Crew: 5
Mass: 55 t
Length: 11.7 m (Barrel forward)
Width: 3.60 m
Height: 3.46 m (with periscope & machine gun)
Main armament: 155 mm L/52
Main armament ammunition: 60 rounds
Secondary armament: 7.62 mm FN MAG 60-40 machine gun
Engine: 986 hp MTU MT881 Ka-500
Maximum speed: 62 km/h
Maximum range: 400 km
Sources
- Pantserhouwitser 2000NL | Materieel | Defensie.nl
- https://www.knds.de/fileadmin/user_upload/broschueren_2024/KNDS_B_Ansicht_PzH2000_EN.pdf
- Krauss-Maffei Wegmann – Ihr Partner rund um Wehrtechnik
- https://militairespectator.nl/sites/default/files/bestanden/artikelen/2002-0569-01-0135.PDF
- Rheinmetall Denel Munition part of Dutch ammunition contract - defenceWeb (Ammunition)
