Netherlands boosts Ukraine's defences with new DITA howitzers
The Netherlands has announced purchasing another batch of DITA howitzers from the Czech Excalibur Army for Ukraine. We present the performance of the DANA howitzer, modified to fit NATO standards.
During the European Council meeting, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, and Denmark announced in a joint statement the purchase of 155 mm artillery ammunition for Ukraine, expected for delivery in 2025. The Netherlands' contribution is valued at 271 million euros, including an order of six DITA howitzers and participating in ammunition procurement.
This initiative follows a similar order from February 2024, when nine howitzers were acquired for Ukraine. This represents significant support for Ukraine, where every modern artillery system capable of firing at approximately 30 km or 40 km with standard ammunition is invaluable.
DITA — upgrading the legacy DANA to NATO standards
The modern DITA howitzer significantly upgrades the familiar VZ.77 DANA system, equipping it with a 155 mm NATO-standard gun featuring a 45-calibre barrel. The gun is mounted in a turret on the existing DANA chassis (Tatra 815 VP31), which has undergone extensive modifications.
Key modifications include changes to the hydraulic support extension system, significantly reducing the time required to assume and abandon a firing position. This is essential in artillery operations, where both sides use radar systems to target the opponent based solely on the projectiles fired.
The DITA also features an APU (Auxiliary Power Unit) generator that powers all onboard electronics with less heat and fuel consumption than running the main engine. Thanks to digitization and automation, the crew has been reduced to just two soldiers.
The crew operates from a sealed, armoured cabin in compliance with the STANAG 4569 Level I standard, which protects against artillery shell fragments up to 155 mm and small arms fire at close range.
The DITA howitzer can effectively target areas up to 39 km away using gas generator shells and potentially greater distances with rocket-assisted shells such as the M549A1. Its maximum firing rate is 6 rounds per minute, which reduces to 5 rounds per minute after sustained use.
DITA can be ready to fire or leave position in less than a minute and is capable of MRSI (Multiple Rounds Simultaneous Impact) fire mode, where up to three projectiles can hit a target almost simultaneously.
