Videos circulating on social media showed Russian drones destroying a French-supplied CAESAR 155mm self-propelled howitzer in Ukraine.
Russian fiber-optic cable FPV drones destroy French-supplied CAESAR 155mm self-propelled howitzer on a 6×6 chassis, operated by the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
After the first strike, the Ukrainians attempted to evacuate the gun with the help of ATS-59 artillery tractor, but were… pic.twitter.com/d26dx0dsgf
— Status-6 (Military & Conflict News) (BlueSky too) (@Archer83Able) April 19, 2025
The CAESAR, built by French company Nexter (now KNDS France), is a mobile artillery piece mounted on a 6×6 truck. It fires NATO-standard 155mm shells up to 55 kilometers and can quickly relocate after firing. Each unit costs around $4 million.
French-provided CAESAR self-propelled howitzer with the Ukrainian Army. pic.twitter.com/ML4r34XHmB
— In Ukraine (@InUKRofficial) August 21, 2024
After the initial strike, Ukrainian forces tried to evacuate the artillery piece using an ATS-59 tractor but were caught in the open during the attempt. It is unclear when and where the video was taken.
The drones used in the attack were first-person view types guided by fiber-optic cables, making them resistant to electronic warfare jamming. The fiber-optic drones, first seen in combat footage in August 2024, have been widely deployed in areas like Kursk.
France sent 30 to Ukraine, and Denmark sent 19 more. By February 2025, seven CAESARs had been destroyed and three more damaged, according to a report from BulgarianMilitary.com.
