Self Propelled Gun/Rocket Launcher
- Thread starter FORBIN
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The gun imaged in that article, the m85 costed a whopping $800,000 to build 65 years ago, that kinda just illustrates how incredibly expensive this endeavour would be compared to a rocket launch systems which is comparitively more simple. you would be trading ongoing cost for upfront costs.
The fact that the US found it infeasible and overlapping with other projects might be a hint that the cost gap between guns and missile is not enough to warrant fielding an entire new system.
What about this one?
Also, is China having any projects right now that would resemble some sort of a "Super-750mm PCL-181" with firing range upward of 800-1000 km?
Technology has improved a lot since then
It's called DF-11 and DF-15
A long range gun seems a lot more vulnerable to counter artillery strikes considering they'll likely have to be extensively stabilised and would definitely be much heavier than PHL-16 trucks
With China's extensive manufacturing it's probably easier to stockpile thousands of 300/370mm reload rounds than developing a new gun system
With China's extensive manufacturing it's probably easier to stockpile thousands of 300/370mm reload rounds than developing a new gun system
At the point of 800-1000 km surely you're lobbing the artillery shell past the edge of space, so really it's more of a ballistic missile than anything else.
To add on to that, a rocket assisted Paris gun sounds absolutely bonkers, although I'd assume that you can also simply tape a guidence kit on to a project HARP gun to achieve the same result at a much lower cost
Yep and it make me thing of the Zumwalts gun failure... when one artillery round cost the price of a cruise missile and they just not buying or producing them in the end because it's way too costly.
Yes I understand.
Although, what I am looking for is something akin to ultra long-range artillery systems which can be employed and utilized en-masse with effective budgeting for constant, effective suppression of key enemy targets, such as radar stations, supply depots, military airfields and naval bases in order to prevent them from getting repaired and put back into operation as long as needed.
Besides, ballistic missiles are always going to be more expensive than guided rockets and shells. Hence personally, I do see such weapon systems like the SLRC as a viable lower-cost yet effective option compared to SRBMs for certain situations.
That might happen when room temperature super conductors become a thing, then rail guns would finally become viable.