AHS Krab vs PCL-181: Specs Compared

AHS Krab — licensed reference photograph

AArtillery

AHS Krab

Self-propelled artillery

Credit

U.S. Army photo by Kevin Sterling Payne · Public domain · Resized · Public domain · Source ↗ · Modified

AI-generated illustration · Not a photograph — Representative exterior of PCL-181

BArtillery

PCL-181

Self-propelled howitzer

AI-generated illustration · Not a photograph

Credit

ForceTally · AI-generated illustration · Not a photograph · AI-generated · OpenAI output terms · Source ↗ · Modified

First system

Second system

At a glance

Side by side

Length comparisonOne shared metre scale

AHS KrabLength

12.1 m

Length source ↗

PCL-181SH-15

6.5 m

Length source ↗

Lengths retain their source configuration and measurement scope.

AHS Krablarger figure on 1 of 2

Mass+92%

PCL-181larger figure on 1 of 2

Crew+20%

Counts only measures both sources give with the same scope. A larger figure is not a better system.

Measured figures

Head to head

23 of 37 rows sourced on both sides

12.1m

6.5mSH-15

Length

All recorded figures & sources

12.1 m

Length

Single source

12.1 m (39 ft 8 in)^[source]

6.5 m

SH-15

Single source

6.5 m (21 ft 4 in) (SH-15)^[source]

3.63m

2.66mSH-15

Width

All recorded figures & sources

3.63 m

Width

Single source

3.63 m (11 ft 11 in)^[source]

2.66 m

SH-15

Single source

2.66 m (8 ft 9 in) (SH-15)^[source]

3mto turret roof

< 3.6m<

HeightScopes differ

All recorded figures & sources

3 m

to turret roof

Single source

3 m (9 ft 10 in) to turret roof^[source]

< 3.6 m

Single source

<3.6 m (11 ft 10 in)^[source]

48t

25t

Mass+92%

All recorded figures & sources

48,000 kg

Mass

Single source

48 t (47 long tons; 53 short tons)^[source]

25,000 kg

Mass

Single source

25 t (25 long tons; 28 short tons)^[source]

Crew+20%

All recorded figures & sources

5 people

Crew

Single source

5^[source]

6 people

Crew

Single source

6^[source]

60km/hMaximum; On road

90km/hMaximum; Maximum speed

SpeedScopes differ

All recorded figures & sources

30 km/h

Maximum; Off-road

Single source

60 km/h

Maximum; On road

Single source

60 km/h (37 mph) on road 30 km/h (19 mph) off road^[source]

90 km/h

Maximum; Maximum speed

Single source

90 km/h (56 mph)^[source]

400kmOperational; Operational range

53kmMaximum; rocket-assisted projectile

RangeScopes differ

All recorded figures & sources

30 km

Maximum; base bleed

Single source

40 km

Maximum; Excalibur

Single source

400 km

Operational; Operational range

Single source

30 km (19 mi) base bleed 40 km (25 mi) Excalibur^[source]

400 km (250 mi)^[source]

20 km

Effective; conventional projectile

Single source

53 km

Maximum; rocket-assisted projectile

Single source

20 km (12 mi) (conventional projectile)^[source]

53 km (33 mi) ( rocket-assisted projectile )^[source]

750kW

—

Power

All recorded figures & sources

750 kW

STX Engine / MTU Friedrichshafen MT881Ka-500 8-cylinder water-cooled diesel engine

Single source

STX Engine / MTU Friedrichshafen MT881Ka-500 8-cylinder water-cooled diesel engine 750 kW (1,000 hp)^[source]

8.06mL/52

52 caliber

Barrel length

All recorded figures & sources

8.06 m

L/52

Single source

8.06 m (26 ft 5 in) L/52^[source]

52 caliber^[source]PCL-181; main howitzer barrel

155mmCaliber

Calibre

All recorded figures & sources

155 mm

Caliber

Single source

155 mm (6.1 in)^[source]

155 mm

Caliber

Single source

155 mm (6.1 in)^[source]

2rpmsustained 18 rds/3 mins rapid

4–6rounds/minSH-15

Rate of fireScopes differ

All recorded figures & sources

2 rounds/min

sustained 18 rds/3 mins rapid

Single source

2 rds/min sustained 18 rds/3 mins rapid^[source]

4–6 rounds/min

SH-15

Single source

4–6 rounds/min (SH-15)^[source]

Bars compare reported quantities only. A larger figure does not make a system better; configurations and test conditions differ.

Configuration

Details

AHS Krab and PCL-181 configuration
Specification	AHS Krab	PCL-181
Type	Self-propelled artillery^[source]	Self-propelled howitzer^[source]
Place of origin	Poland^[source]	China^[source]
In service	2016 – present^[source]	2019–present^[source]
Used by	Polish Land Forces Ukrainian Ground Forces^[source]	See § Operators^[source]
Wars	Russian invasion of Ukraine^[source]	2025 India–Pakistan conflict^[source]
Designer	Huta Stalowa Wola BAE Systems Samsung Techwin^[source]	Nanjing University of Science and Technology^[source]
Designed	1997–2016^[source]	—
Manufacturer	Huta Stalowa Wola^[source]	Norinco^[source]
Unit cost	US$11.45M (est)^[source]	—
Produced	2008 – present^[source]	—
Breech	Sliding block^[source]	Semi-automatic vertical wedge type breech block^[source]
Elevation	+70° (1244 mils)/-3.5° (-62 mils)^[source]	Around 20° to 70° (except for front due to cab)^[source]
Traverse	360° (6400 mils)^[source]	360°^[source]
Armor	Max 16 mm (0.63 in) steel armour^[source]	—
Main armament	155 mm/52-calibre howitzer 40 rounds (29 turret, 11 hull)^[source]	PLL-01 155 mm howitzer gun^[source]
Secondary armament	WKM-B .50 BMG^[source]	—
Drive	Tracked^[source]	6×6^[source]
Transmission	SNT Dynamics / Allison Transmission X1100-5A3 4 forward, 2 reverse^[source]	—
Suspension	Mottrol /Horstman Hydropneumatic Suspension Unit (HSU) travel distance: ≤ 275 mm dead weight: 40 ~ 45 kN^[source]	hydropneumatic suspension^[source]
References	Janes^[source]	—
Barrels	—	52 caliber^[source]
Engine	—	diesel^[source]
Reported operators	—	Reported operator · People's Republic of China Reported operator · Pakistan Reported operator · Ethiopia Reported operator · Myanmar

FORCETALLY

Loading the evidence…

Preparing your view.

AHS Krab

PCL-181

Type

Self-propelled artillery^[source]

Self-propelled howitzer^[source]

Place of origin

Poland^[source]

China^[source]

In service

2016 – present^[source]

2019–present^[source]

Used by

Polish Land Forces Ukrainian Ground Forces^[source]

See § Operators^[source]

Wars

Russian invasion of Ukraine^[source]

2025 India–Pakistan conflict^[source]

Designer

Huta Stalowa Wola BAE Systems Samsung Techwin^[source]

Nanjing University of Science and Technology^[source]

Designed

1997–2016^[source]

—

Manufacturer

Huta Stalowa Wola^[source]

Norinco^[source]

Unit cost

US$11.45M (est)^[source]

—

Produced

2008 – present^[source]

—

Breech

Sliding block^[source]

Semi-automatic vertical wedge type breech block^[source]

Elevation

+70° (1244 mils)/-3.5° (-62 mils)^[source]

Around 20° to 70° (except for front due to cab)^[source]

Traverse

360° (6400 mils)^[source]

360°^[source]

Armor

Max 16 mm (0.63 in) steel armour^[source]

—

Main armament

155 mm/52-calibre howitzer 40 rounds (29 turret, 11 hull)^[source]

PLL-01 155 mm howitzer gun^[source]

Secondary armament

WKM-B .50 BMG^[source]

—

Drive

Tracked^[source]

6×6^[source]

Transmission

SNT Dynamics / Allison Transmission X1100-5A3 4 forward, 2 reverse^[source]

—

Suspension

Mottrol /Horstman Hydropneumatic Suspension Unit (HSU) travel distance: ≤ 275 mm dead weight: 40 ~ 45 kN^[source]

hydropneumatic suspension^[source]

References

Janes^[source]

—

Barrels

—

52 caliber^[source]

Engine

—

diesel^[source]

Reported operators

—

Reported operator · People's Republic of China
Reported operator · Pakistan
Reported operator · Ethiopia
Reported operator · Myanmar