Ukraine's misidentified artillery: Unraveling the Dutch connection
The newly released footage from the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence showcases the training of Ukrainian artillery personnel. As the Ukrainians describe it, the 199th Training Center is said to use American M109A6 Paladin howitzers. However, the footage does not support this claim.
Ukraine currently utilizes a diverse range of artillery equipment. Alongside Soviet-era weapons, which use ammunition calibres of 155 mm and 127 mm, Western assistance has introduced systems firing shells in "Western" calibres of 105 mm and 155 mm.
Although several countries provide modern artillery systems, such as the Polish Krab howitzer, the German PzH 2000, the Swedish FH77BW Archer, or the French Caesar, the M109 howitzer was predominant among NATO countries' armed forces during the Cold War. After its retirement, these howitzers were often stored away.
This is equipment developed in the USA, with the first variant entering service in 1963. Since then, the M109 howitzer has undergone various developments and modernizations, giving rise to numerous variants, including localized versions.
As a result, the term M109 could refer to an older M109A2 howitzer retrieved from storage or the modern M109A6 Paladin system, which, along with its evolving version, M109A7, is now a cornerstone of American barrel artillery.
Dutch howitzers in Ukraine
It seems that equipment identification was a challenge for the Ukrainians as well. The footage the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence released was described as training on Paladin howitzers.
However, as noted by Defence 24, the film clearly shows an M109 howitzer in a condition suggesting prolonged storage in less than ideal conditions, with noticeable peeling paint.
The equipment seen in the footage is not the modern Paladin but most likely the M109A2NL model, indicating howitzers provided by the Netherlands. This country quietly supported Ukraine with an unspecified number of M109 howitzers.
This aid is somewhat surprising because officially available data suggests the Dutch howitzers were long retired and sold, among other places, to Jordan, with the remaining units displayed in museums. Nevertheless, as revealed in mid-2024, one batch of Dutch aid included M109 howitzers, and this equipment likely is what appears in the footage released by Ukraine.
