NEW HOWITZER. The Philippine Army has test-fired its Autonomous Truck Mounted Howitzer System (ATMOS) 155mm/52 caliber self-propelled artillery pieces from April 6-8 at the Fort Magsaysay Military Reservation Area in Palayan City, Nueva Ecija. The Army received 12 ATMOS howitzer units in December 2021 from Israeli defense company Elbit Systems. (Photo courtesy of Army Artillery Regiment)
MANILA – The Philippine Army's artillery units have test-fired for the first time its newly-acquired Autonomous Truck Mounted Howitzer System (ATMOS) 155mm/52 caliber self-propelled artillery pieces.
In a statement sent to reporters Sunday, Army spokesperson Col. Xerxes Trinidad said the live-fire exercises were held from April 6 to 8 at the Fort Magsaysay Military Reservation Area in Palayan City, Nueva Ecija.
Trinidad said the ATMOS 155mm howitzer system is a "shoot-and-scoot" weapon that can be rapidly deployed in rugged terrain.
"The weapon incorporates an 'inertial navigation system' (INS)-based gun-laying method and an automatic loader," he added.
The Army received 12 ATMOS howitzer units in December 2021 from Israeli defense company Elbit Systems.
The self-propelled artillery pieces are procured under the Horizon 2 of the Revised Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Plan. It is worth PHP2.4 billion.
Trinidad earlier said the weapons would augment the existing 155mm towed-howitzers being operated by the Army Artillery Regiment.
"It is in addition to the existing fire support artillery guns, the 155mm-towed howitzers," he added.
The Army Artillery Regiment’s 1st and 2nd Self Propelled Batteries and the Artillery Training School (ATS) participated in the drill. (PNA)
