MORANA

The MORANA self-propelled gun howitzer is designed to engage adversary artillery; to silence and destroy command posts, firing assets, combat equipment, logistical support assets, and adversary live forces; and to destroy permanent defensive structures and field defensive objects. It can conduct indirect and direct fire.

The howitzer is built on a Tatra 815-7 chassis, which has all axles steerable. The turret set is designed as a self-contained functional unit that can be installed on various types of wheeled and tracked chassis with appropriate load capacities. The main weapon is a 155 mm cannon howitzer with a 52 calibre barrel made by the Slovak company ZTS - SPECIAL. Inside the turret there are newly developed ammunition feeders and conveyors of the automatic loading system. The combat superstructure, including the weapon station, is completely controlled from the vehicle cabin. Fully automated gun loading allows the crew to fire up to 6 rounds in the first minute from a position of fire. The howitzer is capable of conducting multiple round simultaneous impact (MRSI) fire at ranges of 6 to 35 km. The maximum range is 41.5 km. In the event of any failure of the ballistic and navigation computer system, MORANA has an emergency manual targeting mode.

In an emergency, MORANA can conduct direct fire on enemy positions, both stationary and moving vehicles. Direct fire can be conducted at a maximum distance of 5 km during the day and 3 km at night. The weapon station, mounted on the turret ceiling, is primarily used for self-defence of the howitzer and allows firing in the immediate vicinity of the vehicle, including low-flying aerial targets.

In the turret there is an electronically controlled automatic APHU unit serving as the main power and hydraulic source for the weapon system, turret superstructure operation and cabin heating, air conditioning and ventilation systems. The APHU controls and recharges the batteries, provides hydraulic pressure for the turret hydraulic circuit and performs cooling of hydraulic oil and powder charges.

The MORANA howitzer is equipped with an on-board control and diagnostic system that includes subsystems for diagnostics, inertial navigation, automatic gun guidance, autonomous calculation of firing elements and ammunition management. The howitzer has an automated gun guidance system, which enables fast and fully automatic guidance of the gun to the firing position. The control system can prepare the howitzer for firing within 40 seconds of stopping in firing position. This is done fully automatically without the crew having to leave the cab. Gun aiming at the target, ammunition loading and firing are controlled directly from the cab workstations.

The standard howitzer crew consists of three persons - driver, commander and operator, who have their own seats in the cab. In addition, there is a sighting station in the turret for emergency control of the main gun. The cab can accommodate up to four people if required, with a fourth crew member performing tasks depending on the nature of the mission or howitzer deployment. Crew protection is provided by an armoured pressurised PUMA cabin with ballistic and mine protection at Level 2 according to STANAG 4569.

The MORANA howitzer development project was officially launched on 1 January 2021 and lasted until the end of May 2023. The development was carried out within the framework of the Operational Programme Enterprise and Innovation for Competitiveness organised by the Czech Ministry of Industry and Trade. The total recognised costs for the development and production of the prototype amounted to CZK 85 837 780, of which the amount of support from public foreign sources (European Union subsidies) amounted to CZK 30 077 558.

The prototype of the MORANA howitzer was presented to the public for the first time at the EUROSATORY 2022 trade fair in Paris, which took place from 13 to 17 June 2022. The development continued in 2023, mainly by testing the prototype and optimising the control and diagnostic systems.

Prototyp samohybné kanónové houfnice MORANA na továrním snímku, rok 2022.

Fotografie:
EXCALIBUR ARMY

At Eurosatory 2022, Excalibur Army presented a technology demonstrator of the 155mm self-propelled howitzer. The weapon is mounted on a Tatra 815-7 Force chassis and is said to be fully automated and capable of direct fire.
The demonstrator has been named Morana after the Western Slavic goddess of death.
The demonstrator is a collaboration between Excalibur Army, Tatra Trucks (chassis) and ZŤS-Speciál (main weapon).
Expected entry into service in 2027.


Demonstrator - basic data:
- crew: 3 persons (commander, driver, operator, there is a backup gunner's station in the tower)
- weight: 32500 kg
- length: 13 m
- width: 3.1 m
- height: 3,35 m


Power unit:
- Supercharged diesel engine of unknown make
- Engine power: 447 kW
- fully automatic transmission of unknown make
- maximum vehicle speed: 90 km/h
- max range: 500 km


Armament:
- Howitzer: 155mm, d/52, large turret allows ±60° range, expected range: 41.5 km
- ammunition supply: 45 pieces
- machine gun: 12.7mm mounted in the RWCS on the turret ceiling


Cabin armour:
- STANAG 4569, Level 2 survivability


Source:
czechoslovakgroup.cz
https://morana.excaliburarmy.cz/
https://morana.excaliburarmy.cz/cs
https://www.militaryfactory.com/armor/detail.php
https://www.tatra.cz/hledat/?q=Morana

The MORANA self-propelled gun howitzer during tests at the polygon of the Military Technical Institute of Land Forces in Vyškov. The vehicle was subjected to rigorous dynamic tests on the off-road test circuit. The attached photo shows the climbability test, where the steps are 20, 40, 60, 80, 100 and 120 cm high, but other values can be set. The next photo shows the overshoot test. The field test circuit has its own adjustable trench with a width of 50 to 300 cm.

Photographs:
Military Technical Institute - www.facebook.com