G6 howitzer

The G6 self-propelled howitzer is a South African artillery piece, developed around the ordnance of the G5 howitzer. It is one of the most powerful self-propelled guns on a wheeled chassis.

In addition to the logistical mobility afforded by a wheeled chassis, the G6 is protected against counter battery fire and is able to defend itself in an unsecured area.

The chassis is mine-protected. The G6 is produced in South Africa by the Land Systems division of Denel. It entered production in 1987.

Ammunition characteristics

 * Maximum range:
 * 30,000 m with standard HE rounds,
 * 39,000 m with HE base bleed rounds, and
 * 42,000 m with HE base bleed rounds (BB—fired from G6-52)
 * 50,000 m with HE base bleed rounds (BB—fired from G6-52 Extended Range)
 * 52,500 m with a special velocity-enhanced Long Range Projectile (V-LAP—fired from G6).
 * 58,000 m with a special velocity-enhanced Long Range Projectile (V-LAP—fired from G6-52).
 * 67,450 m M9703A1 V-LAP round (tested successfully to 73,000 m by Denel in G6-52 Extended Range platform)
 * Minimum range: 3,000 m.
 * Rate of fire: 4 round/min, 2 round/min sustained.
 * Ammunition: 155 mm ERFB. 47 rounds, 50 charges, 64 primers and fuzes.
 * Accuracy: 0.1% of range in azimuth, 0.48% of range in range.
 * In 2012 four rounds of M982 Excalibur precision guided munitions were fired to a range of 38 km, all landing within 5 m of the target.

Variants

 * G6
 * G6 M1A3: Exported UAE version
 * G6-52 (23 litre chamber)
 * G6-52 Extended Range (25 litre chamber)
 * Reduced crew to 3–5;
 * can fire projectile up to 67 km at a rate of fire of eight rounds/minute;
 * increased off-road speeds to nearly 70 km/h;
 * implemented Multiple Rounds Simultaneous Impact (MRSI) technology and can land six (G6-52L variant) or five (G6-52) rounds simultaneously at targets up to 25 km away; and
 * is currently undergoing extensive trials.
 * G6 Marksman: a British SPAAG version, combining the G6's base vehicle with the Marksman turret.

Operators

 * South Africa: 43 systems. Also known as the GV6 Rhino within the South African National Defence Force
 * United Arab Emirates: 78 systems
 * Oman: 24 systems

Combat history
The G6 saw limited action in 1987/88 during the South African Border War, in the Battle of Cuito Cuanavale.