Specifications
Type: Self Propelled Howitzer
Dimensions:
Crew: 3
Weight: 35 metric tons combat ready
Length: 13.58 meters gun forward
Width: 3 meters
Height: 3.7 meters (turret roof)
Ground Clearance: 0.4-0.65 meters
Armament:
Main Gun: 155mm/L52 Howitzer (+65 to -2 elevation/depression)
Main Gun ammunition storage: 36 shells and 144 charges.
TC armament: pintle mounted 7.62X51 machinegun
Protection:
Egoz composite armor (titanium, silicon carbide, NERA)
Active Protection: “Iron Tide M” Hard/Soft Kill APS
Power:
Engine: NMC HDD720 20L V8 twin-turbocharged Diesel
Power Output: 720HP (~533kN) at 2,100 RPM
Power to weight ratio: ~20.5hp/ton
Auxiliary Power: 1 under armor 20kW APU
Batteries: 16 LFP Li-Ion Batteries
Maneuverability:
Suspension: InArm Fluidic Springs
Maximum Road Speed (governed): 90km/h
Trench Crossing: 2m
Vertical Obstacle Crossing: 70cm
Fording: 1.65m
Operational range: ~700 kilometers
Cost: 9,000,000 USD
DPR: 5 billion USD
Background
The Romach (“Lance”) 155mm self propelled howitzer is the result of a development program by the Royal Army, Royal Marines and Schwerpunkt. The Army and Marines wished to replace some of their tracked and towed guns with wheeled ones, to ease logistics and increase mobility on roads. Schwerpunkt saw a great opportunity in developing a modern self propelled howitzer. Work was thus started on a howitzer variant of the WUAP, using essentially the same base chassis and automotive components coupled to a fully automated 155mm turret. During development it was realized that a heavier and longer chassis is desired for purposes of stability and robustness over sustained periods of fire. Schwerpunkt and Nachmere Motor Company developed a new 8X8 chassis, using some common WUAP components but with a longer wheelbase and strengthened construction.
The end result is a large, 8X8 drive, armored vehicle. The crew is seated in a front mounted fully armored cabin and controls the fully automated centrally mounted turret which mounts a 155mm/L52 howitzer. Romach is highly tactically and operationally mobile, with impressive on and off road performance. Thanks to being a true AFV and not a truck with an armored cabin, it offers high levels of survivability to both systems and crew. Most importantly - utilizing the L52 barrel, fully computerized and automated gun laying and loading system, and BASTION II connectivity, Romach provides accurate and fast tube artillery support to maneuvering forces.
Armament, fire control and networking
The 155mm L52 gun has a maximum range of up to 70km with advanced ammunition types, and is the preferred tube artillery choice for most modern militaries. The gun is installed in a fully electrically powered, 360 degree rotating turret with -2.5 to +65 degrees of elevation.
As mentioned the turret is fully automated, and the entire operation of the weapon is done from the three men cabin in the front of the vehicle. Two rear stabilizing arms and two central stabilizing pistons are deployed automatically to provide stability in any terrain while firing heavy charges. Two conveyer style loading systems coupled with an automatic rammer feed the gun with shells and charges. The automatic loaders can be restocked manually or by a specialized ammo carrying vehicle.
An automated fuse setter allows setting and programming fuses for smart artillery rounds.
Rate of fire is 6 shells per minute for the first minute, 16 shells over 3 minutes, or a sustained rate of about 1.5 shells a minute for a long fire mission. The system is capable of manual emergency operation (both loading and laying) with a rate of fire of about 2 rounds per minute.
Laying the gun is done by a computerized fire control system utilizing GPS self location and digital maps. The system is factory integrated with the BASTION II battle management system, allowing the Romach to quickly receive fire calls using the “fire management” feature. If needed, other battle management systems can be integrated with ease.
The combination of fast auto loading and fully digital and simple to use fire control allows the Romach to conduct very quick scoot and shoot operations, deploying and firing within 30 seconds and going out of action within a similar time. It is also capable of a 5 shell MRSI (multiple rounds simultaneous impact) barrage, using the high rate of fire and combinations of elevation and charges.
For close range protection a 7.62mm machine gun is mounted in a simple pintle mount on the cabin roof. This can be upgraded to a remote weapon system if required.
Mobility
The Romach chassis is based on the ubiquitous WUAP chassis, however as mentioned it was determined a longer and heavier chassis was needed to withstand the wear and tear caused by extensive firing of the powerful 155mm gun. The amphibious capability was given up for practical reasons, though the vehicle is still capable of fording 1.65m deep water obstacles with ease.
Because the Romach is heavier in comparison to original WUAPs, the engine has been upgraded to a 720 horsepower unit coupled to an 8X8 drive by an automatic transmission with 7 forward and 1 reverse gear. The vehicle is power steered by the 2 forward axles and the 4th axle for a minimal turn radius. Breaking is achieved by disk brakes on all 8 wheels.
The original in-arm fluidic suspension was found adequate for the added weight and is identical to that installed in WUAP family vehicles. Each wheel is independently suspended by a hydro-pneumatic spring and damper system, connected to a central hydro- system. This allows for setting the ground clearance according to need. The run-flat tires are connected to a central pressure system allowing the driver to set tire pressure separately for each tire, and providing warning if the tire pressure is incorrect for the load and speed of the vehicle.
Protection and Survivability
Lessons of conflicts during the development of the Romach suggested artillery will be more vulnerable than ever to counter battery and attacks by small drones. As a result Romach was designed to meet these specific threats and protect the crew and gun against them.
Romach is a true armored vehicle, protected by “Egoz” (“Nut”) composite armor. The base plate is aluminum with added composite armor modules including titanium, silicon carbide and on the roof of the turret and cabin Non Explosive Reactive Armor. The offered protection all around can defeat small arms and small fragmentation. The cabin and turret are rated to resist heavier kinetic threats up to 20mm on the front, as well as small Chemical Energy threats (such as 40mm HEAT grenades) from above.
In addition to the passive protection of its armor, Romach is equipped with the Iron Tide II active protection system. Though it is an unusual system to be mounted on an artillery piece, it was decided the current threat level against artillery combined with the high cost of the system justifies this addition. Iron Tide II protects the Romach against all manner of chemical energy threats including the heaviest of ATGMs using soft and hard kill methods.
Like the WUAP, the Romach protects its crew from IEDs by virtue of a V shaped underhall, spall lining and suspended seats. For CBRN protection,the vehicle has individual air filtering systems running directly to the masks and NBC overalls of the crew. The air is not only filtered but also cooled. The individual systems are augmented by an overpressure system for the turret and cabin.
An automatic fire suppression system is installed in the crew compartment, engine bay and ammo stowage. This is automatically activated by visual or thermal sensors, or can be manually activated. Diesel is stored in self sealing tanks, with cutoff valves to allow separate use of the forward or rear tanks. Because the crew operates the gun from a separate, armored cabin, the survival chance in case of ammo detonation is significantly higher.
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