France supplies Armenia with CAESAR artillery systems
- 20 June, 06:48
Armenia has purchased CAESAR artillery systems from France, French Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced this week.
The relevant agreement, along with several new defence agreements were reached during the meeting between Lecornu and Armenian Defence Minister Suren Papikyan in France on Monday. The number of purchases of CAESAR artillery systems have not been disclosed. Lecornu described the deal as “a new milestone”.
The CAESAR, a highly effective long-range self-propelled howitzer praised for its performance against Russian forces in Ukraine, is now headed to Armenia.
Armenian security analyst Tigran Grigoryan called the acquisition significant, noting that France is uniquely positioned to understand the South Caucasus region’s security needs.
Eduard Arakelyan, another military analyst, suggested the deal signals France’s intent to provide Armenia with more advanced weaponry. He also pointed out that this move marks a shift away from Armenia’s traditional reliance on Russian and Soviet-era weapons towards Western standards. ‘Armenia is transitioning from Soviet-calibre barrel artillery to the globally prevalent 155 mm calibre’, he said.
In a move signifying deepening military ties, Armenia and France signed bilateral agreements in October 2023. These agreements will see France provide Armenia with equipment including radars and anti-air systems. As a further demonstration of commitment, France also deployed a military attaché to its embassy in Yerevan. Following the November agreement, Armenia received its first batch of French Bastion armored personnel carriers. These vehicles were delivered through Georgia, adding to Armenia’s growing military capabilities.
