KNDS unveils LORAS self-propelled howitzer to challenge rocket launchers with 100 km range.

KNDS officially unveiled the LORAS (LOng Range Artillery System) technology demonstrator at the Eurosatory 2026 defense exhibition in Paris, introducing a completely new 58-calibre tube artillery architecture. The development addresses a critical NATO operational capability gap by extending the effective engagement range of standard 155 mm tube artillery into deep-strike zones traditionally restricted to rocket artillery platforms. By transitioning from the established 52-calibre baseline to a longer gun barrel paired with an expanded chamber volume, the system maximizes muzzle velocity and internal ballistics while maintaining full compliance with joint NATO ammunition standards.

The LORAS technology demonstrator integrates an advanced 155 mm/58-calibre howitzer into an automated, unmanned Artillery Gun Module mounted on a tracked RCH 155 chassis. Technical parameters specify an automated firing rate exceeding eight rounds per minute, a 45-tonne combat weight, and target engagement ranges extending from 60 kilometers with conventional high-explosive projectiles up to 100 kilometers using precision munitions.

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On June 15, 2026, KNDS unveiled the LORAS (LOng Range Artillery System) demonstrator at Eurosatory 2026, introducing a new 155 mm artillery concept built around a 58-calibre gun and intended to extend the reach of conventional tube artillery to distances traditionally associated with multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS). The demonstrator combines the new weapon with the tracked version of the RCH 155 and its AGM unmanned turret. Unlike most Western self-propelled howitzers currently in service, including CAESAR, PzH 2000, and RCH 155, which are based on a 155 mm/52-calibre gun, the LORAS adopts a longer 155 mm/58-calibre howitzer to target a 60 km range with standard high-explosive ammunition and 80 to 100 km with precision and special ammunition.

These objectives place the LORAS well beyond the performance envelope of most NATO tube artillery systems, which generally achieve 30 to 40 km with conventional projectiles and 50 to 60 km with extended-range ammunition. The LORAS is intended to fill a capability band between conventional artillery and rocket systems, extending the operational reach of 155 mm artillery without abandoning existing NATO ammunition standards or requiring a dedicated long-range rocket launcher such as the MARS 3. The central feature of the LORAS is the transition from a 52-calibre to a 58-calibre barrel.

In practical terms, a standard 155 mm/52-calibre barrel measures roughly 8.06 m, while a 155 mm/58-calibre barrel therefore extends to roughly 8.99 m, an increase of nearly 93 cm. That additional barrel length increases the distance over which expanding propellant gases can accelerate the projectile. Internal ballistic performance is directly linked to the duration of this acceleration phase, and even relatively small increases in barrel length can generate meaningful gains in muzzle velocity when combined with suitable chamber volume and propellant charges. KNDS has therefore coupled the longer barrel with a larger chamber than those found in current NATO-standard 52-calibre systems, as most modern NATO 155 mm artillery systems operate around the JBMoU standard based on a 23-litre chamber.

The LORAS remains compatible with that ammunition ecosystem while introducing additional volume and higher-pressure operating margins. The gun structure has consequently been redesigned to tolerate greater firing stresses, enabling the weapon to launch projectiles at higher velocity than current artillery systems. The significance of the LORAS lies less in the barrel itself than in the range objectives attached to it. A 60 km engagement range with standard high-explosive ammunition would already represent a major increase compared with current Western artillery performance. Existing CAESAR, PzH 2000, and RCH 155 generally operate within a 30 to 40 km bracket using conventional ammunition.

Even with base-bleed, rocket-assisted or guided projectiles, most Western 155 mm systems remain below or near 60 km. KNDS is seeking to move the baseline performance of conventional ammunition into a range category currently associated with specialized projectiles, such as rocket-assisted projectiles (RAPs). The 80 to 100 km objective for precision and special ammunition goes even further, placing the LORAS into a distance bracket normally occupied by guided rockets. Reaching such distances with a tube artillery system would significantly expand the area that can be covered by a single battery and allow artillery units to influence targets significantly deeper behind the forward line than is currently possible with most NATO howitzers.

This range expansion is intended to address a long-standing gap between conventional artillery and rocket artillery. Tube artillery remains attractive because it combines sustained rates of fire, comparatively large onboard ammunition inventories, mature logistics networks and lower ammunition costs than many rocket systems. Rocket artillery, however, provides substantially greater reach. The result is a capability gap between approximately 50 or 60 km, where conventional artillery begins to lose effectiveness, and the deeper engagement zones normally covered by MLRS-class systems. LORAS is intended to operate inside that gap. Rather than introducing a new missile or rocket launcher family, KNDS is attempting to extend the operational relevance of 155 mm artillery into target sets previously allocated to rockets.

The approach also retains access to the much larger ammunition inventories already fielded by NATO users of 155 mm systems, an important consideration for sustained operations where ammunition expenditure rates can become a limiting factor. A notable aspect of the concept is that the new gun remains compatible with current-generation JBMoU-qualified ammunition. The Joint Ballistics Memorandum of Understanding serves as the principal interoperability framework for NATO-standard 155 mm artillery. Compatibility means that ammunition already procured for CAESAR, PzH 2000, Archer, Krab and other NATO-standard artillery systems can be fired from LORAS. Existing projectiles, modular propelling charges and fuze families therefore remain usable.

This reduces the burden associated with introducing a new artillery weapon because operators would not need to replace their ammunition inventories before fielding the system. At the same time, compatibility should not be confused with performance equivalence. While current ammunition remains usable, the larger chamber, higher operating pressures and longer barrel provide conditions under which future projectiles can achieve significantly greater performance. The weapon therefore combines immediate interoperability with a growth path for ammunition specifically optimized around the 58-calibre architecture. KNDS expects the highest performance levels to be achieved with ammunition developed specifically for LORAS rather than with legacy projectiles.

The LU 211 projectile family is among the ammunition types that could benefit from the increased launch energy available from the new weapon. The objective of reaching 100 km is not restricted to rocket-assisted projectiles. Instead, KNDS links the concept to future long-range conventional ammunition as well as precision and special munitions. This distinction is important because it suggests that the programme is not solely dependent on adding rocket motors to existing shells. The combination of greater muzzle velocity, improved ballistic efficiency and future projectile development forms the basis of the range-growth strategy. If successful, LORAS would become one of the first European artillery programmes to substantially exceed the performance limits associated with the 52-calibre generation while preserving compatibility with the NATO 155 mm ammunition inventory.

The demonstrator itself uses the tracked version of the RCH 155 equipped with the AGM unmanned turret. The system remains fully automated and remotely controlled, reducing crew exposure during firing operations. Combat weight remains below 45 tonnes despite the larger weapon system. Vehicle dimensions are 11.5 m in length, 3.5 m in width and 3.5 m in height. Ammunition stowage consists of 30 complete rounds and 144 modular charges. The loading process incorporates automated inductive fuze programming and supports firing rates exceeding eight rounds per minute. These characteristics are notable because extending artillery range generally increases system size, recoil forces and ammunition-handling requirements.

The tracked chassis provides additional load-carrying capacity and mobility compared with lighter wheeled solutions while maintaining a level of automation comparable to the RCH 155 family. The network-based architecture also leaves room for future developments, including more advanced remote-control functions and eventual unmanned operation. The AGM turret provides full 360° engagement capability and elevation angles from -2.5° to +65°, enabling both direct and indirect fire missions. Secondary armament consists of either a remote-controlled weapon station or a multi-purpose grenade launcher. The crew is limited to two personnel, reflecting the degree of automation incorporated into the system.

Engine output reaches up to 900 kW, allowing road speeds of up to 70 km/h and a road range approaching 500 km. KNDS also associates the system with firing on the move, Shoot-and-Scoot 2.0 manoeuvres, Multiple Round Simultaneous Impact missions, engagement of moving targets and direct-fire hunter-killer functions. Taken together, these characteristics indicate that LORAS is not solely an artillery gun with greater range. It is an attempt to combine long-range firepower, ammunition interoperability, high automation, reduced crew requirements and future growth potential within a single 155 mm artillery system, while extending conventional tube artillery toward the 80 to 100 km engagement zone that has historically been dominated by rocket artillery.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.

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