The prototype was displayed in Hanoi and uses the 152 mm Soviet D-20 howitzer mounted on the armored chassis of a Russian KamAZ-6560 truck.
Vietnam is preparing to showcase a new self-propelled artillery unit built from the traditional 152 mm Soviet D-20 howitzer. The prototype was revealed during the Independence Day celebration at the Hanoi exhibition center by state-owned Viettel, under the Ministry of Defense.
Images of the equipment were published by Vietnamese blogger Lee Ann Quann and quickly gained attention on social media.
Design inspired by previous models
The system, which may be designated PTH152, follows the logic of previous Vietnamese industry projects, which had already developed the PTH105, based on the M101 cannon, and the PTH130, derived from the Soviet M-46 howitzer.
This time, the assembly was done on the four-axle KamAZ-6560 chassis, which received a newly designed armored cab and a rotating turret for the gun installation.
Since Vietnam does not have its own tube artillery production, it uses stocks of towed howitzers to create its self-propelled versions.
Fire capabilities
The ballistic performance does not differ from the towed D-20 howitzer: up to 17 km with conventional shells and up to 24 km with rocket-assisted ammunition.
However, the prototype does not appear to feature automation systems, requiring at least a gunner and a loader as part of the crew.
The main objective of the project seems to be increasing the mobility and protection of artillery batteries of the Vietnam People’s Army through relatively cost-effective modernizations.
Source and images: Militarnyi | X @AnnQuann | KamAZ. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
