Ukraine has improved its self-propelled howitzer Bohdana – Technology Org
The first Ukrainian 155 mm self-propelled howitzer will now be able to be mounted on one of three chassis – KrAZ, Tatra and MAN. Also, if a Czech chassis is used, the howitzer will have a slightly different loading mechanism. Other than that, 2S22 Bohdana remains an example of Ukraine becoming more NATO-friendly in terms of its military industry.
2S22 Bohdana on KrAZ-6322 chassis. These howitzers have been in service since 2022. Image credit: Sergiy Voronkov via Wikimedia (CC BY 4.0)
At the IDEX-2023 arms exhibition, the Kramatorsk Heavy Machinery Plant showcased an updated version of the 2S22 Bohdana self-propelled howitzer. The Ukrainian 155 mm self-propelled howitzer received a system that allows it to quickly adapt to work in all types of terrain.
The Bohdana equipment now also includes a computerized system for automatic targeting and target tracking. The total weight of the self-propelled howitzer is 28 tons.
The self-propelled howitzer Bohdana is said to have a rate of fire of 5 rounds per minute, it can carry up to 20 rounds. The crew consists of 5 people. Bohdana can now be built on KrAZ, Tatra or MAN chassis. The original Bohdana was installed only on the original KrAZ chassis, but it obviously limited the weapon’s export probability.
The Kramatorsk Heavy Machinery Plant now showed how Bohdana looks on a KrAZ 6×6 chassis and on a Czech Tatra 8×8. The latter version is distinguished by a slightly different loading mechanism as well as an armored cabin.
Ukrainians claim that Bohdana is not inferior to other self-propelled howitzers of this category:
- crew – 4-5 in the French CAESAR and 5 in Bohdana ;
- ammunition capacity – 18 shells in CAESAR and 20 in Bohdana ;
- rate of fire – CAESAR can deliver 6-8 shots per minute in normal mode and 3 shots in 18 seconds in maximum speed mode. Bohdana can fire 4-6 shots per minute.
Perhaps best of all, the Bohdana is a 155mm howitzer. This is a NATO standard weapon, currently produced in Ukraine. During this war, of course, it is difficult to produce a significant number of these howitzers. However, Ukraine is still capable of producing artillery that meets NATO standards and can share ammunition with Western weapons.
This is not a small achievement. Just a few years ago Ukraine relied on Russian standard weapons, but now it is producing howitzers that can use NATO-standard ammunition.
Bohdana was developed in 2015-2018, but began service only in 2022. At the beginning of the war, Ukraine had only a few of these self-propelled howitzers – the same prototypes that were created for firing tests.
The Bohdana self-propelled howitzer became famous in June 2022, when it successfully expelled the occupiers from Snake Island. It is said that serial production of Bohdana began this year, in 2023, but large numbers of these howitzers on the battlefield should not be expected.
Ukraine is a huge country with a strong industry. Once the war is over and Ukraine can start rebuilding and integrating more closely with Western political, economic, and military structures, everyone in NATO will be glad to take a look at Ukraine’s military industry potential.
Sources: Focus.ua, Wikipedia