China has developed a prototype for a "mobile" (truck-mounted, unarmored) version of the WA-021 towed 155mm howitzer. This uses a 6x6 heavy cross-country truck with a forward cabin and the howitzer mounted directly over the rear axle. There is a large spade on the rear of the truck which is lowered to the ground and forced down (by backing up the truck slightly) to provide a stable firing platform. The WA-021 is based on a design by Gerald Bull. It can reach 30km with extended ammunition, 39km with base-bleed ammunition. This is yet another entry into the relatively new concept of unarmored truck-mounted mobile 155mm howitzers pioneered by the French CAESAR system. --Stephen V Cole