The DITA 155mm self-propelled howitzer gun is an artillery system developed by Czech defence company Excalibur Army.
The howitzer features a fully automated superstructure, which increases the rate of fire with only two crew members on board.
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The self-propelled howitzer entered the final stage of development with the completion of a functional prototype vehicle in January 2021. Subsequently, the prototype underwent a series of tests to evaluate its performance.
Excalibur Army partnered with EDGE Group, a United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based defence technology company, to exhibit the howitzer at the International Defence Exhibition and Conference (IDEX) 2021 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre in Abu Dhabi.
Subsequently, the howitzer performed a live firing sequence at the International Defence and Security Fair in May 2023.
DITA howitzer design and features
The DITA artillery weapon system has a length of 13.02m (42.7ft), a width of 3.08m, a height of 3.12m and weighs up to 29t. The howitzer is derived from the Tatra 8×8 chassis.
The fully autonomous superstructure allows the howitzer to be mounted on different types of wheeled or tracked chassis, while enabling operation by only a two-member crew comprising a driver and commander.
The superstructure offers an emergency operation workplace to accommodate an additional crew member based on user preference.
The ballistic crew cabin is equipped with a high-performance heating and air-conditioning system rated at 8kW and 3kW, alongside a stand-alone 20kW hot-water heater and a nuclear, biological and chemical filtration system. The cabin offers STANAG 4569 Level I protection to the occupants.
Armament
DITA fires the widely used 155mm calibre round, which is readily available, and can achieve ranges of up to 39km when using high-explosive base bleed projectiles. The gun offers a maximum rate of fire of six rounds per minute, while its sustained rate of fire is five rounds per minute.
Equipped with an automatic loading and firing mechanism, the gun can be operated in fully automatic, manual and emergency guiding modes. It can also support different firing modes such as single round, rapid-fire, programmed, as well as multiple round simultaneous impact.
The gun can rotate through -3/70-degrees elevation angle and traverse through ±60 degrees. The artillery system can carry 40 rounds of ammunition in conveyors within the turret.
DITA fire control system
The DITA howitzer features an onboard control suite incorporating diagnostic and navigation functions alongside automated gun laying, independent computation of firing data and integrated ammunition management.
The OCS ensures the weapon quickly reaches the firing position, completes the mission and leaves the position. Optical sight is used for aiming the gun in the event of navigation system failure.
The howitzer also features an automatic guiding system that allows fast and fully automatic weapon adjustment into fire position.
Both the OCS and automatic loading device are controlled by the M4 control panel, a digital device that helps in indicating all diagnostic data related to the gun and chassis condition. The portable system enables the control of the turret outside the cab.
The howitzer is also equipped with automatic setting of action position, ammunition management and an inertial navigation system for rapid task execution.
DITA howitzer engine and mobility
DITA is powered by a Tatra T3C-928-90 engine, which has a maximum power output of 300kW. It also features an auxiliary 24V hydraulic power unit, which serves as the main power source for both weapon system and turret operation.
The power plant ensures a road speed of 90km/h and an off-road speed of 25km/h. The maximum cruising range of the vehicle is 600km.
The howitzer is equipped with R20 14.00 tyres with a central tyre inflation system. It can ascend gradients of 30 degrees and side slopes of 15 degrees and can negotiate vertical obstacles of 470mm and trenches of 2m. The vehicle can ford water streams with a maximum depth of 1.2m.
Orders and deliveries
The Netherlands ordered nine DITA howitzers in 2023, which were handed over to Ukraine during the same year to improve its defences against Russia.
Another order was placed in 2024 for six DITA howitzers, which were delivered to the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine in January 2025.
