According to "Military Observer", new images have confirmed that the Chinese SH16 155mm tracked self-propelled howitzer is undergoing field trials. As a next-generation artillery system, it represents a major breakthrough in China's ground firepower capabilities. Following the PLZ-05 howitzer, the SH16, with its modular unmanned turret, fully automatic loading, and laser ignition technologies, significantly enhances firepower, mobility, and battlefield survivability, establishing China's global leadership in large-caliber artillery.
The core innovation of the SH16 series artillery lies in its modular unmanned turret design, weighing less than 14 tons, which can be adapted to tracked armored chassis, 6×6 off-road trucks, or even ship platforms. This modular design not only improves the versatility and production efficiency of the equipment, but also reduces R&D and maintenance costs through full-electric drive and standardized interfaces. Compared to traditional "manned turrets" requiring 5-7 crew members, the SH16 only needs two personnel, the driver and the gunner, significantly reducing manpower requirements and enhancing battlefield survivability.
The SH16 has achieved fully automatic loading of 155mm artillery ammunition for the first time, solving the long-standing problem of relying on manual loading modules for large-caliber artillery. Using a "rear magazine" loading scheme, the SH16 completes a series of actions including ammunition storage, selection, pushing, and loading through automated mechanisms, achieving a rate of fire of 8 rounds per minute, and a burst rate of 3 rounds in 15 seconds, far exceeding the 3-4 rounds per minute of traditional artillery. The fully automatic loading system has been optimized through thousands of tests to ensure reliability under high-impact vibration environments.
The SH16 is the world's first large-caliber artillery to use laser ignition instead of traditional mechanical primer. The laser ignition system realizes high-reliability ignition through a laser, collimating mirror, and "gem" material laser window, eliminating the complex firing pin and primer loading mechanism. An automatic cleaning device for the laser window ensures stability during continuous firing of hundreds of rounds, with overall cost lower than traditional primer systems. The engineering application of this technology marks that China's artillery technology has reached a world-leading level.
The SH16's mission control system uses an open software architecture, integrating subsystems such as mission management, precise aiming, artillery imagery, and health management. A graphical, visual intelligent assistance interface allows the gunner to operate like using a smartphone, reducing reaction time by half compared to similar equipment, and firing the first shot within 15 seconds. This "information-fire integration" design greatly enhances the rapid response capability of firepower strikes.
The SH16 uses a 52-caliber 155mm barrel, compatible with NATO ammunition and modular propellant, with a range covering 30-70 kilometers, covering high explosive shells, extended-range shells, and satellite-guided shells. Diverse ammunition types and the fully automatic loading system allow it to quickly switch between different strike modes, adapting to various operational requirements. Compared to the PLZ-05 with a range of 35 km and a rate of fire of 8-10 rounds per minute, the SH16 further improves range and firepower continuity, widening the performance gap between Chinese artillery and international competitors.
The automated design of the SH16 enables "one-touch" operation throughout the entire process of position operations (targeting, loading, firing). The time for entering and exiting the position and battle conversion does not exceed one minute. Combined with a tracked chassis and a total weight of 32 tons, the maximum speed reaches 90 km/h, and it can be air-dropped by an A400M transport aircraft, possessing excellent campaign and tactical mobility. The SH16 can complete the entire process of "entering the position - firing -撤离" within 3 minutes, comparable to Sweden's "Archer," effectively countering the threat of modern counter-battery radars.
The unmanned turret and armored crew compartment design significantly enhance the battlefield survivability of the SH16. Equipped with panoramic observation, laser/millimeter-wave warning sensors, and remote-controlled machine guns, the SH16 can effectively deal with close threats. In addition, broadband communication and intelligent assistance systems support remote-controlled combat, and when combined with autonomous driving technology in the future, they can achieve fully unmanned battlefield operations, further reducing personnel risks.
The SH16's unmanned turret, fully automatic loading, and laser ignition technologies place it at the forefront of similar products worldwide. Compared to the "Archer" with a simple ammunition loading path but limited ammunition capacity of only 20 rounds, the SH16's 31-round ammunition magazine and modular design offer greater flexibility and sustained combat capability. The originality of the laser ignition technology enables it to surpass competitors using traditional primers in terms of reliability.
The development of the SH16 not only enhances the firepower strike capability of the Chinese Army, but also promotes the modernization of artillery equipment, indicating that China has moved from "following" to "leading" in the field of ground firepower, laying a solid foundation for future information-based and intelligent warfare. It is expected that the SH16, already in service with the People's Liberation Army, will officially make its debut at the military parade in one month, pointing the way for global artillery development.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7533135602242306614/
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