Panzerhaubitze 2000

## Crew

* Commander
* Driver
* Gunner
* Loader (X2)

The **Panzerhaubitze 2000** is a Tier 9 progression Self-Propelled Gun under Zhang Feng's dealership.

## History

Class: Self-Propelled Howitzer

Developed: 1986-1996

Service: 1998+

Vehicles Built: 342

Operators: Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Qatar, Croatia, Hungary and Lithuania

Much like a number of other European military development programs, the Panzerhaubitze is a result of a single idea: “Let’s build something so that we don’t have to use American stuff.” A joint West-German, British and later Italian program was launched in the 1960s to develop a true European SPG to replace the M109 in the NATO service. The program was called SP70. With three different countries (each with its own ideas about the requirements), it went about as well as you’d expect. After roughly ten years of arguments, several prototypes were built and underwent a series of trials, in which they were promptly outperformed by the by-then decade-old M109.

After the fiasco, Britain and Italy bailed out and decided to just adopt the M109 and develop their own artillery systems (resulting in the British AS90 and the Palmaria) while Germany just kept the project formally running until 1986 when it was finally cancelled. Realizing the need to still have a replacement to the M109, the German government issued a contract to two development groups to come up with a suitable prototype. The program was called Panzerhaubitze 2000 (armored howitzer for the year 2000).

These prototypes were evaluated in late 1990 and the group consisting of Wegmann and MaK won. Four more prototypes were ordered for further trials and in 1996, the first order was officially placed. The production started in 1997 and the first production vehicle was delivered in the early 1998. Germany received the original order of 185 vehicles between 1998 and 2002. In the process, the Panzerhaubitze 2000 (armed with cutting edge FCS and a 155mm Rheinmetall L/52 howitzer that is automatically loaded and can fire up to 10 rounds per minute) gained a significant popularity, which led to a number of them being exported.

The Panzerhaubitze 2000 has already also seen combat in Afghanistan. The most famous deployment was the use of Dutch PzH 2000s in Operation Medusa and the 2006 battle of Chora. In both occasions, the crews praised its high accuracy. The Panzerhaubitze production is currently ongoing with 24 new vehicles ordered by Hungary.

## Vehicle Traits

* Artillery: This vehicle is capable of indirect fire across large distances but is very vulnerable in close combat.
* Heavy Weapon: This vehicle carries one of the largest weapons around with significantly increased damage per shot.
* Magazine Loader: This vehicle's loading system allows you to fire several rounds in rapid succession.

## Upgrades

### Armor

PzH 2000 Stock Armor
 This vehicle's light armor offers basic protection from autocannons and machineguns.

### Weapon

**Stats:**

* **Magazine Type**: Ready Rack
* **Magazine Size**: 3
* **Reload within Magazine**: 5.00 s
* **Burst Fire Rate**: 12.00 rd/min
* **Depression/Elevation**: -8.0° / 65.0°

## Footnotes

1. ↑ Enables you to unlock one tier 9 vehicle.

Dealer: Zhang Feng

Vehicles with Tier 9 token:

	* ST1
	* Rosomak M1M
	* Type 99
	* VT4
	* Paladin
2. ↑ Enables you to unlock one tier 10 vehicle.

Dealer: Zhang Feng

Vehicles:

	* Wilk XC-8
	* Type 99A2
	* Centauro 155
3. ↑ 650 for Partial Penetration;
350 for Non-Penetrating Hits
4. ↑ 18 mm at 100m;
9 mm at 1000m
5. ↑ This upgrade is unavailable until the vehicle progress is complete.

Msta-S  •
Akatsiya  •
Centauro 155  •
Abbot  •
Abbot VE  •
M108  •
M109  •
Paladin  •
Palmaria  •
**PzH 2000**  •
PLZ-05  •
PLZ-89