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Land Systems / Battlefield

SLWH Pegasus (Singapore Light Weight Howitzer)

155mm Towed Howitzer [ 2005 ]

The SLWH Pegasus provides the Singapore Army with a modern long-range artillery piece.

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 05/02/2019 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

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With a growing indigenous military arms industry, Singapore began development of a light 155mm howitzer to produce the Singapore Light Weight Howitzer (SLWH) system recognized under the designation of "Pegasus" which was adopted in October of 2005. Designed around the 155mm NATO standard projectile, the system was developed as a modern battlefield implement with exceptional range and tactical flexibility. The SLWH Pegasis was a jointly developed system headed by ST Kinetics with input the Defence and Technology Agency and the Singaporean Army. Singapore is the only current (2013) operator of the Pegasus at this writing (a potential sale to the Indian Army eventually fell through due to corruption). Production is handled by ST Kinetics.

Prior to 2005, the Singaporean Army relied on the French-made GIAT LG1 system of 105mm caliber, a lightweight towed howitzer system of similar form and function. Following the lead presented by global powers, the Singaporean Army made the move to a more powerful standardized 155mm system of completely indigenous origin to downplay reliance on foreign procurement. The 6-ton gun was given a 155mm barrel of 19 feet, 10 inches and featured a standard operating crew of eight personnel (six minimum). A trained crew can fire 155mm projectiles at a rate of 4 rounds per minute for up to 3 minutes with a 2 round per minute rate of fire reported for 30 minute durations to avoid barrel overheating/fracturing. The rate if sustained through a semi-automatic action. The standard 155mm shell can reach out to target areas 12 miles away while rocket-assisted rounds feature a 19-mile range. A large recoil system ensures smooth operation and no need to retrain the weapon during sustained fire. The barrel sits atop an advanced mounting system and is capped by a massive multi-port muzzle brake. Construction features titanium and aluminum for the required strength and weight. Primary ammunition is a standard HE (High-Explosive) projectile while Shrapnel and chemical rounds can be fired as required.

While a towed battlefield artillery system by design, the Pegasus features an onboard motor that allows for short-ranged travel by the crew. The mounting system sits atop a wheeled carriage to facilitate travel over open terrain when in this self-propelled mode. Power to the unit is supplied through a Lombardini 9LD625-2 series engine of 28 horsepower allowing for top speeds of 7.5 miles per hour.

As a light-class battlefield weapon, the Pegasus can be delivered to frontlines via medium-lift fixed-wing transports such as the C-130 Hercules. Additionally, with utilization of slings, the Pegasus can be towed underneath the belly of a medium-lift helicopter such as the CH-47 Chinook. Both of these aircraft are in service with the Singaporean Army.©MilitaryFactory.com

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Specifications

BASICS [+] MANUFACTURER(S) [+] OPERATORS [+] ROLES [+] DIMENSIONS & WEIGHTS [+] POWER & PERFORMANCE [+] ARMAMENT [+] AMMUNITION [+] VARIANTS [+] HONORS [+]

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