BKA-1124, Russian WWII River Monitor

[B-Manic]

The German arms industry, seeing a down market in sales of hardware to their own
Army, is getting innovative. Any of you in the business will know that the Marines have been grumping for years about the paucity and relatively small caliber and range of naval gunfire in support of warfare in the littoral regions. The grumping really started with the retirement of the last 8in gun cruisers during Vietnam - as there simply weren't that many battleships. And now even they are gone, leaving just the 5-inch gun. The Navy has experimented with mounting MLRS launcher modules on surface combatants and continues to study the issue.

Rheinmetall has gone one further. They've just mounted the turret of the Panzer Haubitze 2000 onto a frigate.

Quoting from the brochure:
MONARC: 155mm howitzer system mounted on F124 frigate A whole new dimension in naval firepower
A pioneering concept recently unveiled by a consortium consisting of Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW), Krauss-Maffei Wegmann and Rheinmetall W&M at the HDW wharf in Kiel looks set to create a whole new dimension in surface combatant firepower.
Known as MONARC (Modular Naval Artillery Concept for Naval Gun Fire), this solution promises to increase the range and effectiveness of ship-mounted artillery and ammunition several times over. As a result, naval units now stand to benefit from the technological edge enjoyed by German industry in the field of heavy-calibre artillery systems for ground forces.
Rather than embarking on an expensive new development programme, it was decided instead to draw on a previously fielded weapons system from the cutting edge of ground forces technology. Developed with HDW acting as lead company, the concept entails mounting the turret and main armament of the PzH 2000 self-propelled howitzer � the world's most advanced 155mm artillery system � to the deck of a warship.

Source: www.thedonovoan.com

[CharlieC]

Sounds like a sensible solution. At least more practical than the proposed electromagnetic rail gun solution that seems to be rattling around the US defence establishment. Although if the rail gun worked I doubt the Marines would have much to complain about since the range is supposed to be 200 km with a 5" projectile.

Regards,

Charlie

[Zathros]

Remember this? Sikorsky Gunboat proposition.

[B-Manic]

Looks like ORLIK beat me to the punch