EDR On-Line understanding that the cabin is protected at Level 4 according to NATO STANAG 4569. Not only, the capacity to fire as soon as the vehicle stops, and even on the move, is a further protective measure, while that to fire on the 360° even on a terrain with a 30% incline with Charge 6, and to shoot 9 rounds per minute, ensures consistent firepower.
Talking to a GDELS-SBS senior engineering executive, EDR On-Line understood that the Nemesis is based on an evolved version of the ASCOD chassis, heavily based on that used for the British Army Ajax. The powerpack is however different, the Nemesis being fitted with a more powerful Scania engine providing 1,100 hp, albeit the speaker underlined that SBS is flexible in terms of powerpacks. To cope with the 40 tonnes mass of the Nemesis as well as with the 60 tonnes recoil forces when shooting, suspensions were upgraded. On standard ASCODs of the seven roadwheels only three are fitted with rotary dampers on suspensions, the Nemesis chassis having them on all road wheels. A new suspension lever produced by additive manufacturing was visible; it is unclear if this is already fitted to the vehicle, this being a solution for improving MRO capability for deployed units, however the lever obtained with the new manufacturing technology is 10% lighter and 30% stiffer compared to the standard one. Another upgrade is the adoption the SATT, for Self-Adjusting Track Tensioner, a patented system that instantly adapts the track tension to the terrain, sensors providing instantaneous feedback. It can be used with both steel and rubber tracks, the Nemesis seen at FEINDEF adopting Soucy composite tracks. The track tension constant optimisation allows increasing tracks life, reducing running gear wear, and reducing fuel consumption. Asked if the SATT can be retrofitted on older platforms, the speaker answered positively.
The Nemesis is fitted with the SBSNEVA (Next Generation Electronic Vehicle Architecture) based on the NVGA protocol, that allows simple and easy installation of any further subsystem.
EDR On-Line understood that GDELS-SBS is in active talks with the Spanish Army, that might need soon replacing its M109 SP howitzers. The vehicle seen at FEINDEF came off the assembly line just prior the Madrid exhibition, the company starting tests as soon as possible, although no dates were given for a possible first firing trial.
FEINDEF 2025: GDELS unveils Nemesis tracked SPH, exhibits Piranha 10×10 SPH for first time
General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDELS) and KNDS showcased a new 155 mm self-propelled howitzer (SPH) system named Nemesis at the International Defence and Security Exhibition (FEINDEF) 2025 held in Madrid from 12 to 14 May. The Nemesis tracked SPH is armed with the latest variant of KNDS' L52 Artillery Gun Module (AGM) mounted on an ASCOD-based armoured vehicle produced by GDELS.
The ASCOD family is a proven modular series of platforms, with the Nemesis variant's 1,100 hp diesel engine producing a speed of 70 km/h and a range of over 500 km.
Nemesis features a self-adjusting track tensioner (SATT) and can utilise either steel or composite rubber tracks to transport payloads of up to 20 tonnes. The SPH is designed to be fully compliant with the NATO Generic Vehicle Architecture (NGVA) to facilitate integration of third-party digitised modules, with the possibility of fully unmanned or remote operations in future iterations.
The Nemesis gun system's L52 AGM module has full 360° coverage with -2°/65° gun elevation to engage targets at ranges of 50–70 km, depending on the ammunition used. The L52 AGM has a 30-round reserve magazine, a rate of fire of over 8 rds/min and features a multiple round simultaneous impact (MRSI) mode to provide tactical flexibility in the delivery of effects. The L52 AGM mounted on Nemesis is being used to showcase the potential for future enhancements to the system, with the mock-up featuring additional sets of fixed optronics – cameras and sensors – mounted on the front and sides of the gun turret to provide increased visibility to the crew.
