Torsten Heinrich wrote that the superior firepower of artillery remains necessary because affordable drones cannot carry enough explosives to successfully attack fortifications. Therefore, further acquisitions of artillery systems by the Bundeswehr are justified despite criticism. At the same time, the use of artillery near the front becomes increasingly risky due to the expansion of the death zone. The industry must therefore develop guns designed for regular use of maximum propellant charges and whose barrels can withstand higher prolonged stress. Additionally, they should reach significantly greater distances of about 70 kilometers or more without relying on very expensive specialized ammunition like the “Ramjet 155.” According to Heinrich, artillery requires an affordable fire volume; shells that essentially correspond to tube-launched cruise missiles in caliber 155 millimeters are too expensive for this purpose. Typically, the propellant charge is adapted to the required range, Heinrich wrote: for a target 20 kilometers away, the maximum powder amount does not need to be used when the gun and shell can reach 40 kilometers. A smaller charge saves resources and conserves the barrel. Furthermore, adjusting the bore elevation and powder charge allows for MRSI, meaning the simultaneous impact of multiple shots. #Artillerie #Bundeswehr #Militärtechnik (translated)
