The Ethiopian Armed Forces recently displayed Chinese WZ551 wheeled armored personnel carriers mounted with Soviet D-30 122mm howitzers.
The modification turns the towed artillery into self-propelled guns that can be operated by crew standing in the troop compartment.
It also features frontal armor shield protection for the gunners.
The D-30 first entered service in 1960 and features a range of 15.4 kilometers (9.6 miles), with an additional five kilometers (three miles) with rocket-assisted artillery ammunition.
Cost Effective Solution
The modification was first unveiled in 2016 as a cost-effective solution to increase the Ethiopian army’s firepower, according to Military Africa.
However, a number of self-propelled artillery and rocket launchers were acquired afterwards, raising doubts about whether the project would be continued.
Recent Weapons Acquisition
Ethiopia procured 32 Chinese-made SH-15 (PCL-181) self-propelled truck-mounted howitzers in 2023, with a unit price of around $2.1 million.
Additionally, half a dozen Chinese-made PHL-03 300mm multiple launch rocket systems, A-200 guided rocket artillery systems, and M-20 short-range ballistic missiles each have been acquired by the country in recent times, according to Military Africa.
The weapons have a range between 150 kilometers (93 miles) and 300 kilometers (186 miles), according to the outlet.
