Ukrainian artillery insights: Comparing Poland's Krab and Germany's PzH‑2000

Poland's Krab self-propelled howitzers are a significant and generally well-regarded system, but they have also faced strong criticism. Here's what a Ukrainian who served with the German Panzerhaubitze 2000 thinks about Poland's Krab.

Ukraine received many models of 155 mm artillery systems from NATO countries, which could be tested in wartime conditions like never before. Ukrainian soldier Andrij Kobzar from the 43rd Independent Artillery Brigade initially served on the 2S7 Pion howitzer during the early stages of the full-scale war with Russia. However, in mid-2022, he and part of his unit went to Germany for training.

The course lasted six weeks and took place at the artillery school in Idar-Oberstein. In November 2022, Andrij Kobzar and the other trained soldiers defended Bakhmut. His combat efforts continued until May 16, 2023, when he was injured near Soledar.

Now, Kobzar has decided to share his insights on the artillery war in Ukraine on the portal Drukarnia. The soldier asserts that in front-line conditions, the greater mobility provided by wheeled artillery systems is not worth the reduced protection, as is the case, for instance, with the French Caesars. The Russians have a habit of not only attacking detected artillery systems with Lancet drones but also shelling their areas with rocket-propelled cluster munitions fired from BM-27 Uragan systems.

In such cases, armour becomes crucial, and the proper level of protection requires the high load-bearing capacity provided by tracked chassis. In Ukraine, among these types of NATO systems are the PzH-2000, the AS90, the AHS Krab, and the M109. Andrij Kobzar said, "I didn't fit into the AS90 or M109, but I consider the Krab to be an unfinished, unthought-out, and very rough machine." The Ukrainian criticizes its more uncomplicated interior, incomplete automatic loading system, and thinner armour compared to the PzH-2000.

Furthermore, Kobzar mentioned the difference in losses. Of the PzH-2000, out of 27 units, none have been lost, except for one that was seriously damaged and sent for repair. In contrast, Ukrainians have lost 28 out of 80 used units with the Krabs.

This criticism is fully justified, but on the other hand, the Polish Krab's more straightforward construction is an asset because it breaks down less often, has better service support, and can stay on the battlefield longer. Videos show PzH-2000 howitzers operating in emergency mode with the loading mechanism turned off, reducing the firing rate from a theoretical 10 to 1-2 rounds per minute.

The Krab's more significant disadvantage, however, is its poorer armour and uninsulated ammunition storage, which, if hit, can mean the immediate death of the crew. In the PzH-2000, the ammunition storage is better designed, as it is fully insulated from the crew.

On the other hand, in terms of losses, the Polish Krabs, which were also incidentally three times more numerous than the PzH-2000, spent more time on the front line, while the German machines spent significantly more time on repairs. As we learned during conversations with representatives of the Polish industry at the MSPO fair, for ideological reasons, the Russians mainly targeted Polish machines.