The Armed Forces of Ukraine has received 18 locally-built Bohdana self-propelled howitzers, Minister of Defense of Denmark Trolls Lund Poulsen confirmed.
Denmark financed the procurement as part of an agreement that included direct purchases from Ukrainian defense manufacturers.
“This was the first agreement we concluded. In July, we placed an order (to Ukrainian manufacturers) for the production of 18 Bohdana artillery systems, and this weekend they were already handed over to the Ukrainian Armed Forces,” RBC-Ukraine quoted Poulsen as saying.
Danish Purchase of Ukrainian Weapons
Copenhagen allocated 200 million Danish kroner ($28.5 million) for the initiative in its 2.2 billion kroner ($313 million) military aid in April.
The Ukrainian defense industry produces far more than the state can purchase, necessitating external financing to close the gap.
According to Strategic Industries Minister Oleksandr Kamyshin, the industry’s annual output is worth $20 billion, while the state can purchase only $6 billion worth of defense products.
“This decision is extremely important for both the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the Ukrainian economy. The production capability of our defense industry far exceeds the purchasing power of the state budget,” Kyiv Independent quoted from a Ukrainian Strategic Industries Ministry statement.
Moreover, it is cheaper to produce at home than to buy from abroad and easier to maintain.
Ukrainian Wheeled Howitzer
The Bohdana prototype entered service in May 2022, most notably helping expel Russian forces from Snake Island.
Full-rate production commenced in January 2023, and by the end of the year, 30 platforms had been delivered to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
The monthly rate of production reportedly reached 10 units by May 2024, and upgraded versions featuring the Tatra 815-7 8×8 chassis and autoloader were also introduced.
Features
The 155mm wheeled platform is crewed by five people and designed to operate with NATO-standard shells, a departure from the Soviet-era 152 mm rounds.
It has a maximum range of 42 kilometers (26 miles) with standard shells and 50 kilometers (31 miles) with rocket-assisted rounds and a rate of fire of five rounds per minute.
The eight-wheel artillery system weighs around 28 tons and features an armored cabin and a storage capacity of 20 rounds.