The Russian Ministry of Defence has patented and tested a new artillery smoke projectile that eliminates the shortcomings of the French LU217MS munition for Caesar self-propelled howitzers. The development is designed to create smoke screens and can be used to blind optical and optoelectronic systems, as well as systems operating in the infrared range.
The objective of the development was to eliminate the shortcomings of the LU217MS 155-mm smoke projectile for Caesar self-propelled howitzers and to create an aerosol-forming munition with the required smoke screen parameters, increased efficiency, and reliability. The developers also conducted field tests that confirmed the operability of the proposed technical solutions.
The design includes a body, a detachable base, a remote fuse, an expelling device, elements for placing the smoke composition, and an axial ignition device. When activated, the munition must form an aerosol screen with specified parameters.
It is known that the range of Caesar is about 30–40 km. However, smoke projectiles, due to their specific design, usually have inferior ballistics compared to standard munitions and fly a shorter distance.
Judging by the wording “surpasses” the French projectile, Russian engineers may have improved the aerodynamic shape of the projectile or changed the internal weight distribution so that it flies further, more accurately, and more stably than the original LU217MS with comparable calibers.