France to deliver CAESAR mobile artillery systems to Ukraine

Update 23/04: The information stating the levy of Caesars on the Moroccan order was erroneous, the second paragraph has therefore been modified following this new information.

In an interview focusing on international political issues given to the qWest-France regional newspaper, President Macron indicated that beyond the diplomatic efforts carried out in coordination with Ukraine to maintain contact with the Kremlin, France had also stepped up its effort to deliver armaments to Ukraine, citing anti-tank missiles MILAN as well as, and this is a first, CAESAR 155mm mobile artillery systems, a gun renowned for its high precision, range and great mobility. At first glance, this declaration seemed surprising, since France had never mentioned such an initiative, and above all the Army today only has 76 CAESAR guns, barely the number required to fulfill its operational contract with NATO. One could then think that the President had made a mistake, or had confused it with other materials such as the SATCP Mistral anti-aircraft missile which we know is also supplied to the Ukrainians.

Information taken, it is not so, and France will indeed deliver a battery of CAESAR systems to Ukraine, “less than 10” according to our sources. These guns will be taken from the stock of French systems, without impacting the staffing of the systems in the regiments. Contrary to what we wrote initially, these barrels will not be taken from the Nexter production lines in progress for Export, the Industrialist having himself discovered this presidential decision in the press. In all likelihood, the systems that will be sent to Ukraine will therefore be taken from the Army's regenerating stocks, without impacting the staffing of the regiments, and will be compensated for later by a new order, probably within the framework of the order announced at the start of the year for 33 new-generation CAESAR systems to replace the AUF1 self-propelled guns that had run out.

Since the beginning of the Russian offensive, France has always been particularly discreet about its arms deliveries to Ukraine, which moreover has earned it often undue reproaches from certain heads of state. Eastern Europe as ill-informed as it is peremptory. However, Paris had so far limited itself to the delivery of ammunition, fuel, protection systems and certain missiles such as the MILAN and the Mistral. In fact, the forthcoming delivery of mobile artillery systems such as the CAESAR constitutes a real evolution of the French positions in this conflict, whereas, according to President Macron, the latter has not had any contact with his Russian counterpart since the revelations of the Boucha massacre. And by delivering CAESARs, Paris is most likely responding to the most pressing need for the Ukrainian armies in the face of the Russian offensive in the Donbass, which is turning into a combat of artillery and firepower, and no longer an attempt at war. of movement as at the beginning of the war.

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