JKJ-90 Cheonja
| JKJ-90 Cheonja SPH | |
|---|---|
 The JKJ-91 ammunition loading vehicle (left) and the JKJ-90 Cheonja SPH (right) | |
| Type | self-propelled howitzer |
| Place of origin |  Zhenia |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1994-present |
| Used by | Greater Eastern Union Defense Forces |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Signus Systems |
| Designed | 1988-1993 |
| Manufacturer | Signus Systems Land Division |
| Produced | 1990-present |
| No. built | 6,000+ |
| Variants | Z90A1, Z90A2, Z91 ALV |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 48 metric tons |
| Length | 12.52 m (gun forward) 7.99 m (hull only) |
| Width | 3.61 m |
| Height | 3.12 m to turret roof |
| Crew | 5 (driver, gunner, commander, two loaders) 3(driver, gunner, commander) (Z90A1 and Z90A2) |
| Caliber | 155mm |
| Rate of fire | MRSI: 5 rounds in 15 seconds maximum: 6 rpm |
| Maximum firing range | 42 km (standard rounds) 54 km (rocket-assisted rounds) |
| Armor | welded steel plate |
Main armament | 155 mm L/52 howitzer |
Secondary armament | 12.7 mm 'Eagle's Eye' RWS machine gun |
| Engine | EDE-100W Diesel-Electric Engine 1,200 hp |
| Transmission | unknown |
| Suspension | tracked |
| Ground clearance | 40 cm |
Operational range | 520 km (internal fuel) |
| Speed | 65 km/h (road) |
The Signus Systems JKJ-90 Cheonja (Zhenian: 90형 천자 자주곡사포-중), internationally the ZH-90 Divine Warrior, is a Zhenian self-propelled howitzer developed by Signus Systems and produced by Signus Systems Land Division. Meant to ultimately replace the aging self-propelled Jinsan howitzers in service in the Greater Eastern Union Defense Forces. The JKJ-91 ammunition loading vehicle (ALV) has been developed in tandem with the howitzer. Its newer variants, the JKJ-90A1 and the JKJ-90A2, are capable of a very high rate of fire, capable of five rounds of Multiple Rounds Simultaneous Impact (MRSI) in 15 seconds, although this has been achieved after the JKJ-90A1 has been developed.
History
Development
By 1980, the Greater Eastern Union Defense Forces officially submitted its demands for a new self-propelled artillery system firing 155 mm howitzer rounds, both to replace its aging Jinsan howitzers and provide a longer firing range compared to rival weapon systems. Focusing on a "quality over quantity" notion since the end of the Third Republic for qualitative reinforcements in the Defense Forces as a whole, the Ministry of Defense ordered the development of a new self-propelled howitzer system with much greater range, rate of fire and survivability than the existing Jinsan howitzers. The development began in 1981, ultiamtely being contracted to Signus Systems.
While early designs included various proposals, including an upgraded version of the Jinsan howitzer with a 52 caliber barrel, a light variant with river crossing capacity, and an ultra-heavy howitzer with a 20 mm autocannon and two MANPADS launchers for anti-air capacity, they were ultimately scrapped for higher focus in its dedicated purpose as a howitzer. While most of the development process remained in secret, the conceptual model was released to the public in 1986, while the first prototype rolled off the production lines by 1990.