Ukraine leads Europe in artillery production amid ongoing war

The Ukrainian defence industry is operating at full capacity. Volodymyr Zelensky revealed that Ukraine produces the most artillery systems per month out of European countries, mainly the 2S22 Bohdana self-propelled howitzers. We describe the capabilities of the equipment.

For the past two and a half years, Ukraine has been in a state of war, which requires constant mobilisation and readiness. Despite challenging conditions, the Ukrainian defence industry is working at full speed to meet the needs of the military. The production of military equipment and artillery systems is ongoing to provide the army with essential resources.

Recently, the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, announced that serial production of Ukrainian 2S22 Bohdana howitzers had been launched. The production pace has increased to the extent that Ukraine is now a European leader in the production of such equipment.

When asked about the monthly production of Bohdana self-propelled artillery systems in Ukraine, Zelensky responded at a press conference: "We currently produce a significant number of Bohdana self-propelled artillery systems. Among European factories, our enterprise is the leader in monthly production of artillery systems."

Zelensky stated that Ukraine currently produces a "significant number" of Bohdana self-propelled artillery systems but did not provide an exact number.

The President of Ukraine also revealed that Ukraine is developing long-range weapons. In an interview, he said: "We are currently working on other systems that will enhance our long-range capabilities."

As written by Przemysław Juraszek, a journalist for Wirtualna Polska, the 2S22 Bogdana self-propelled howitzer is a powerful machine comparable to the French Caesar. Initially, the KrAZ-63221 truck was used as a base, but now the Czech Tatra Phoenix 8x8 model, well-known and appreciated in the Ukrainian industry, is used. The truck's cabin has been additionally armoured, providing effective protection against cluster ammunition and FPV drones, which may be equipped with a single cumulative head.

The 2S22 Bogdana's main striking element is a 155 mm calibre gun with a barrel length of 52 calibres. It has a semi-automatic loading system, significantly easing the soldier's work. The soldier must remove the projectile from the ammunition depot and place it in the feeder nearby. Therefore, they do not have to carry and load it into the gun manually. Thanks to this solution, achieving a fire rate of up to six rounds per minute is possible.

The effective range of the 2S22 Bogdana howitzer varies greatly depending on the type of ammunition used. In the case of the simplest DM121 shells, a range of around 30 kilometres can be expected. However, if M549A1 rocket-assisted projectiles are used, it is possible to hit targets as far as 60 kilometres. There is also the possibility of using guided M982 Excalibur shells, characterized by a range of over 50 kilometres. After integrating with the fire control system, it would likely be possible to use 155 Vulcano GLR sub-calibre rounds, which have a range of up to 80 kilometres.