KNDS Unveils Loras Howitzer, Poised for 60km Standard Ammunition Range

The Franco-German defense giant KNDS has announced its new-generation 155mm howitzer, dubbed Loras (LOng-RAnge Artillery System), distinguished by its remarkable ability to achieve a 60-kilometer range using standard high-explosive (HE) ammunition. KNDS, a major manufacturer behind platforms like the Leopard tank and the Caesar truck-mounted howitzer, claims the Loras features a barrel “longer than any other artillery system currently in production for NATO nations.”

The 155mm Loras howitzer is designed to be integrated onto a tracked Boxer chassis and incorporates a French-made barrel alongside KNDS Deutschland’s Artillery Gun Module (AGM). Engineer Pierre Septfons from KNDS France, speaking at a briefing held in Paris in advance of the Eurosatory 2026 exhibition, confirmed that a prototype of the howitzer has successfully undergone firing trials. The company targets serial production of the Loras between 2032 and 2035.

A significant design element of the Loras is its 58-caliber barrel, which is approximately 12% longer than the 52-caliber barrels found on most contemporary European artillery pieces and substantially longer than the 39-caliber barrel on the U.S. M109 Paladin. Septfons underscored KNDS’s primary objective: “Our goal was to achieve 60 kilometers using conventional ammunition, without needing rocket-assisted projectiles.” Typically, 52-caliber 155mm guns provide a baseline range of around 40 kilometers with standard munitions.

KNDS is self-funding the development of the howitzer and its associated ammunition, though it received some initial support from France’s Direction Générale de l’Armement (DGA). The extended barrel length, while enhancing range, presents challenges related to barrel wear, a factor that led the U.S. to cancel its Extended Range Cannon Artillery (ERCA) program in March 2024 after its 58-caliber prototype experienced excessive wear.

Addressing this concern, Septfons acknowledged that barrel wear naturally increases with length due to higher forces. However, he highlighted that the Loras’s gun features a larger combustion chamber compared to the ERCA system, which generates a much softer pressure curve, mitigating wear. Furthermore, European artillery manufacturers have cultivated significant expertise in reducing barrel wear through their consistent development of 52-caliber systems.

Regarding automation, the Loras incorporates a fully automated loading system, which is described as more advanced than that of the Panzerhaubitze 2000. While operational reports from Ukraine have indicated that some fully automated howitzers experienced lower combat availability rates compared to simpler systems like the Caesar, Septfons stated that while the AGM retains certain elements from the Panzerhaubitze, particularly in shell loading, the overall system benefits from updated electronics and a completely new loading mechanism, making it “much more modern.” The barrel itself is produced at KNDS France’s Bourges facility, with a cost only marginally higher than a 52-caliber barrel.

Looking ahead, Septfons noted that with ramjet-propelled or glide ammunition, the Loras could potentially achieve ranges of approximately 100 kilometers. However, KNDS intends to concentrate on optimizing the system for basic ammunition, collaborating with partners who wish to develop and produce more advanced projectile types.

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