Self-propelled howitzer unveiled at Zhuhai show

China North Industries Group Corp, the country's biggest developer of land armaments, has developed a new self-propelled howitzer model that features an unmanned turret and remote-control capability. The cannon is a high-end product in the artillery portfolio of China North Industries Group Corp, which is commonly known as Norinco and is the dominant contractor for the People's Liberation Army Ground Force. Cheng Ziheng, a spokesman for the State-owned arms maker, said that compared with older models, the new self-propelled howitzer has an upgraded chassis with stronger carrying capacity and better mobility, and offers better protection. "Gunners can sit inside or stay outside the vehicle to operate the howitzer, and they don't need to engage in painstaking manual work," Cheng said, noting the 155-mm gun can fire multiple types of munitions such as satellite-guided and laser-guided projectiles.