The now cancelled "Crusader" artillery platform

[Abolith]

MARINO asked for a few pics on the now cancelled "Crusader" Artillery platform, this was all I had on hand....



From the US army technology website: Crusader's 155mm self-propelled howitzer, XM2001, has fully automated ammunition handling and firing that allows firing of the 48 on-board rounds at rates of up to 10 rounds per minute to ranges in excess of 40km. The first rounds of a mission can be fired in 15 to 30 seconds. Additionally Crusader has the capability to fire multiple rounds to achieve simultaneous impact on target (MRSI). One Crusader vehicle can fire up to 8 rounds to strike a single target at the same time. The digital fire control system calculates separate firing solutions for each of the 8 projectiles.


http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/477_1086994045_crusader10.jpg

http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/477_1086994037_crusader11.jpg

http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/477_1086993996_crusader8.jpg

http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/477_1086994026_crusader2.jpg

http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/477_1086994009_crusader6.jpg


and here are some pics of the ammunition re-supply vehicle

Crusader is re-supplied by the XM2002 ammunition re-supply vehicle, which is equipped with a fully automated ammunition handling subsystem. This allows its three-man re-supply crew to automatically transfer, under armour, up to 48 rounds of ammunition and fuel to the howitzer in less than 12 minutes. Resupply can be carried out in a contaminated environment.

The resupply vehicle itself can be fully loaded with fuel and 110 rounds of ammunition in less than 60 minutes..

http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/477_1086996840_xm2002-2.jpg
http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/477_1086996833_xm2002.jpg

[American Patriot]

Sniff :(

[Abolith]

ya I was very sad to hear that it was going away along with the Comanche.

[Jurgen]

http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/477_1086993996_crusader8.jpg

I this a real picture?! I f so... it's really cool!! woot
if not... :bash:

[thatguy96]

Meh, I never saw how it was significantly better than the M109A6 anyhow, just like I saw the RAH-66 filling a capability gap that wasn't there.

[Abolith]

http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/477_1086993996_crusader8.jpg

I this a real picture?! I f so... it's really cool!! woot
if not... :bash:

If not than the US army is faking pics :D

all the pics I have are from thier website

http://www.army-technology.com/projects/crusader/

[American Patriot]

Yes, it's called high shutter speed.

[crazyman]

40 km range and 10 rounds a minute sustained would be a significant improvement on our current systems. both of our current 155 mm weapons (M198 towed and M109A6 SPH can max out at about 30km (using rocket assisted projectiles) at 4 rounds per minute. the ability to place multiple rounds on target at the same time would be hugely usefull. it would be a definite improvement on the "red leg raid" tactic we used in the 1st gulf war.

[SiFiOn]

Buy this one:

http://naoruzanje.paracin.co.yu/pzh4.jpg

;)

[Midav]

From all that I understood, the Crusader was one hell of a system.

Rumsfeld wants a "lighter" army and the reason I hear why it was cancelled.

A damn shame....

[seventy6er]

Perhaps the US Army goes for a howitzer systems that already exists and even outperforms the Crusader.


The shell loading system is driven by brushless electric servo motors supplied by MOOG. The automatic shell loading system has pneumatically driven flick rammer and automatic digital control, ammunition supply management and inductive fuze setting. This provides rates of fire of 3 rounds in less than 10 seconds and loading of 60 shells by two operators within 12 minutes, including the collation of ammunition data. The firing rate of the PzH 2000 was 12 rounds in 59.74 seconds, and 20 rounds in 1 minute 47 seconds, during firing tests in October 1997 with an improved autoloader. The muzzle velocity is determined automatically by means of a radar sensor and is used in the fire control computation.


More info and pics of the PzH2000 (http://www.army-technology.com/projects/pzh2000/)

[Flagg]

In my opinion, it's a cold war relic of a weapon system.

Spend the money on improving retention within and increasing the size of special operations forces as well as making conventional forces faster/lighter to deploy and support.

Gee whiz big heavy SP Guns aren't much use when you haven't taken an airport yet to deploy the heavy b@stards via limited heavy lift air assets...

Plus if you're fighting multiple, elusive, mobile, and small enemy formations(likely opponents for foreseeable future) flexible air support with JDAM-like accuracy would be more valuable than relatively slow moving and less-flexible SP Guns.

A JDAM equipped aerial platform can cover an AO several hundred times bigger than a Crusader as well as initially reaching the AO much quicker...not withstanding the incremental cost of adding JDAM capability to older platforms(B52, etc.).

The Crusader sounds like a neat toy....but it doesn't have much in the way of likely large conventional opposition formations for it to kill to justify the cost.

[AVZ]

In my opinion, it's a cold war relic of a weapon system.



Now think about this howitzer as a support fire vehicle! With the technology already fielded like GPS you could easily mark targets get the info to the PH 2000 and let them roll. A few situated around Beghdad and the troops able to direct the fire.
PErhaps a few colleterral damages , but.... p-) :|





Buy this one:

My thoughts :D

The US army has been very interested in the already produces ammunition for the PH2000. They should go a little further and buy the PH2000 and the ammo

[Midav]

There's more:

Pzh2000:

3 rounds less than 10 seconds
10 rounds per minute (for 1 minute)
20 rounds less than 2 minutes 10 seconds
Max: 8 rounds per minute (for 3 minutes)
Sustained: 3 rounds per minute sustained rate of fire until system is out of ammunition

Crusader:

The emplaced SPH will fire the first round within 15-20 seconds of acknowledging a mission, or if the vehicle is on the move, 30-45 seconds after the fire mission is received. The weapon is capable of a maximum rate of fire of 10 rounds/minute for the first 3 minutes, followed by a sustained rate of between 3 and 6 rounds/minute until all on board ammunition is depleted. This means one howitzer delivers as much firepower as an entire platoon of Paladins.

(Remember, it never was fully developed)

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/europe/pzh2000.htm
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ground/m2001.htm

[MARINO]

Wow Punisher......
It looks very well somthing terrific woot
Spain is thunking about Pzh2000