Lithuanian troops continue learning from their German colleagues to operate self-propelled Panzerhaubitze 2000 (PzH2000) artillery systems that the Lithuanian Armed Forces have procured from Germany. Six Lithuanian soldiers have been undergoing a 3-month training course on PzH2000 maintenance and repair at the German Army Training Centre in Aachen since mid-January. A part of them are with General Romualdas Giedraitis Artillery Battalion of the Mechanised Infantry Brigade Iron Wolf, the battalion which will be using the German howitzers, and the other part are maintenance specialists with the Depot Storage Service of the Lithuanian Armed Forces.
"The PzH2000 maintenance and repair course trains repair personnel for servicing Panzerhaubitze 2000 howitzers thats is capable of providing repair at all levels, except for the highest, which is provided by the manufacturer. Graduates of the course will be able to carry out full repair of a howitzer," 1st Lieutenant Raimundas Kazakevičius, second in command of the Control Party, IInd Fire Battery, Artillery Battalion.
According to the officer, half of the course is practical, and half is practical training.
The course is delivered to the Lithuanian soldiers by the most experienced PzH2000 howitzer instructors; Germany boasts only several experts of that qualification level. The present instructors were formerly deployed to Afghanistan as part of howitzer crews. Lithuanian soldiers modestly mention that Germans have high regard for Lithuanian troops; they try to explain it saying that true professional came to the course which makes teaching easier as Lithuanians are excellent at many of the basic and essential mechanic processes.
According to 1st Lt. R. Kazakevičius, self-propelled howitzers are really smart systems capable of identifying operational failures before serious damage occurs, or to operate in emergency mode for a while in case serious failure has happened, so as to give time for completing the combat assignment or increase survivability of the crew.
This is not the first course that Lithuanian soldiers are undergoing in Germany on PzH 2000 howitzer operation. Late last year a howitzer driver's course took place in the framework of the procurement project. Also, several Lithuanian troops will be training in a PzH 2000 squad member/leader's course until the end of March.
The Ministry of National Defence of Lithuania and the Federal Ministry of Defence contracted for the procurement of the Panzerhaubitze 2000 self-propelled howitzers from the German Armed Forces in September 2015. The acquisition will boost indirect fire support capabilities of the Lithuanian Armed Forces.
The Lithuanian Armed Forces will obtain 21 155mm self-propelled howitzers from the German Armed Forces under the contract. 16 of them will be usable for combat purposes, 2 will be used for training firing and driving skills, and 3 more - for spare parts. The Lithuanian Armed Forces will also receive 26 M577 V2 armoured command vehicles and 6 BPZ2 recovery tanks. All of the procured equipment was formerly used by the German Armed Forces.
On the basis of the contract, representatives of the German Armed Forces will also instruct Lithuanian soldiers on technical maintenance and servicing and operation of the equipment, and its employment in operations at operational planning level. Lithuanian soldiers will take part in different courses and meetings with German experts to learn from their experience in both, Lithuania and the German Artillery School.
The first of the howitzers are expected to be brought to Lithuania in 2016, with the rest to come until the deadline of 2019.
Credits: 1st Lt. Raimundas Kazakevičius
