Islamabad: Pakistan’s military showcased multi-dimensional capabilities and highlighted key inductions, including the Chinese-made SH-15 self-propelled howitzer, during the Pakistan Day parade, the media reported.
The modern artillery is fully capable to hit at a greater distance and is mounted on 6×6 Shaanxi truck chassis with an armoured cabin at the front and one 155 mm gun-howitzer mounted at the rear of the vehicle, said the Daily Pakistan report.
SH-15 is said to be a supreme ‘shoot and scoot’ artillery weapon for the use of nuclear shells, the report said.
Pakistan Army acquired the wheeled self-propelled howitzer amid a major programme to modernise its artillery forces, as it is lighter than a tracked howitzer and can be more easily deployed in the mountainous region.
The weapon system has a maximum firing range of 20 km with standard ammunition and 53 km with a rocket-assisted artillery projectile.
Pakistani armed forces have nearly 500 tracked self-propelled howitzers including 200 American-made M109A2, 115 M109A5, 123 M109L, and 203mm 60 M110/M110A2 mounted on tracked chassis.
“Analysts say this cutting-edge weapon system was delivered by Beijing to Pakistan as part of Sino-Pak strategy to counter Indian K-9 Vajra howitzers,” the Daily Pakistan report added.
Besides the Chinese state-of-the-art howitzer, the Pakistan Day parade also featured a fly-past by newly inducted Chinese Chengdu J-10 (J-10C) fighter jets for the first time.