Nexter will provide eight LG1 105mm towed howitzers to the Senegalese Army, the French company announced on 28 April.
The contract for the Senegal Armed Forces entered into effect on 20 April.
A unit cost of the 105 mm LG1 howitzer is $2.08 million, indicating that the Senegal procurement is worth more than $16.6 million.
Senegal is the eighth customer for the LG1, which has also been bought by Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.
Dominique Guillet, Director of Nexter’s Arms and Ammunition business unit, said he was delighted with this sale which “initiates a fruitful cooperation between Nexter and the Senegalese Armed Forces”.
The L/30 barrel on the LG1 can achieve a range of 17km with extended-range munitions such as the Nexter Arrowtech ERG 3, and Nexter describes it as the lightest gun by weight of its type in the world.
“The Senegalese army chose this gun because it perfectly meets the requirements of modern combat: thanks to its lightness and unequalled rate of fire, it can be put into action in less than 30 seconds by a crew of five gunners, fire 12 shots per minute, and this, at a maximum range of 17 km,” Nexter said, thanks to extended range munitions like the Nexter Arrowtech ERG 3. It is also capable of direct fire up to 2 km.
An automatic breech permits a rate of fire of up to 16 rounds per minute with a well-trained crew of five gunners, although 12 is listed as the average rate.
The Nexter Systems 105 LG towed artillery canon is particularly well adapted to rapid intervention forces operating over difficult terrain. The gun is lightweight, very easy to use and is the ideal weapon for airlift, airdropping, helicopter or amphibious operations.
Nexter is also providing six Narwhal 20mm remote weapon stations to equip three OPV 58 S offshore patrol vessels on order by the Senegalese Navy.
These vessels are being built by French shipyard Piriou with the first OPV expected to be launched this year. The vessel named ‘Walo’ was launched on 13 April.