After Belgium, Colombia is preparing to order the CAESAR mounted cannon from French Nexter

Since its entry into service in 2008, the Nexter Canon Equipped Artillery System, or CAESAR, has enjoyed significant operational and commercial success. Successfully employed by French artillerymen in Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon and Mali, and by its international users in Cambodia (Thailand) and Yemen (Saudi Arabia), the French system has demonstrated excellent operational qualities, combining great mobility at a significant extension (up to 40 km with ERFB shells, more than 50 km with added propulsion shells), as well as great precision even with unguided shells. These qualities were used by French artillery in Iraq to carry out artillery raids, combining rapid movement in hostile areas, fire and equally rapid withdrawal.

To date, CAESAR has been chosen by 7 international customers for more than 260 units, including three NATO members (Czech Republic, Denmark, Belgium), two in Asia (Thailand and Indonesia) and two in Africa/Middle East (Saudi Arabia and Morocco), making the artillery system the spearhead of Nexter group exports these last years. Note that France also announced the delivery of a dozen systems taken from its own inventory to support the Ukrainian defense effort. The order book of the French industrial group specializing in land weapons will soon expand with an upcoming order from Colombia for “at least four pieces” to form a complete battery, after General Carlos Moreno, second in command of the Colombian armed forces, visited France last week to negotiate budgetary and contractual issues.

Even if the order may seem modest, it constitutes an important victory for Nexter, the CAESAR having imposed itself after fierce competition having pitted it against the Israeli Atmos system and the Turkish Yavus, two systems that have appeared in recent years and are based on the same innovative paradigms opened by CAESAR. It must be said that Nexter had long supported its offer before the Colombian authorities, having even conducted a trial and demonstration campaign in the country already in 2011, where the Turkish and Israeli systems were content with contractual promises. In addition, during General Moreno's visit to France, he was able to observe a training campaign for French gunners to fully appreciate the potential of his future system.

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