Ethiopia Acquires Dozens of Chinese Wheeled Howitzers

Ethiopia has acquired dozens of Chinese-built 155 mm SH15 wheeled, self-propelled howitzers, images of a joint military exercise revealed.

Columns of howitzers were pictured at the Awash Arba war technical school during the exercise 165 kilometers (102 miles) south of the capital Addis Ababa.

Satellite imagery showed 32 howitzers lined up in four columns at the Harar Meda Air Base.

Features

The SH15 is the export variant of the PCL-181 in service with China’s People’s Liberation Army.

Manufactured by state-owned Norinco, the 52-barrel gun can fire a rocket-assisted round up to 50 kilometers (31 miles) away.

The 6×6 vehicle’s specialized suspension system improves the projectile’s accuracy.

The gun features command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems, enabling networked operation.