Ukraine launches 2S22 Bogdana howitzers, boosting defence capabilities
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced the start of serial production of the Ukrainian 2S22 Bogdana howitzers, with the first ten units set to be delivered to the Armed Forces of Ukraine in May and more to follow. This marks a significant milestone in the development of the Ukrainian Krab.
Following two years of rigorous testing under wartime conditions, Ukraine has commenced serial production of the 2S22 Bogdana howitzer, a project that has been in development since 2016. Its journey closely reflects that of the Polish Krab howitzer, with both designs representing the achievement of creating a system with the NATO standard calibre of 155 mm, leveraging domestic expertise alongside international solutions, including the choice of chassis.
This initiative is crucial for bolstering Ukraine's defence industry, potentially positioning it as a significant player in the global arms market in the future.
French-inspired Caesar howitzers from Ukrainian factories
The design of the 2S22 Bogdana draws inspiration from the French CAESAR system, notably in integrating a NATO-grade 155 mm, 52 calibre cannon onto a truck chassis. Originally, the KrAZ-63221 truck was employed, but now, the Czech Tatra Phoenix 8x8, a model familiar to the Ukrainian industry, is utilized.
This model features an armoured cabin that is further fortified with bar armour to protect against anti-tank bomblets from cluster munitions or FPV drones armed with single-shaped charge warheads.
The weapon itself incorporates a semi-automatic loading system, significantly easing the ammunition loading process by allowing soldiers to simply transfer shells from the stash to a feeder rather than manually loading them into the cannon. Thus, the weapon can fire up to 6 rounds per minute.
The 2S22 Bogdana howitzer's effective range varies with the ammunition type. Basic DM121-type shells can achieve distances of up to 30 km; with rocket-assisted M549A1 projectiles, targets can be engaged up to 60 km away. There's also an option to use guided M982 Excalibur rounds, capable of reaching beyond 50 km and, post-integration with a fire control system, potentially even sub-calibre Vulcano GLR 155 rounds with a range of up to 80 km.
Moreover, the Ukrainian howitzer can execute MRSI (Multiple Rounds Simultaneous Impact) firing, wherein all shells fired in quick succession land on the target nearly at the same time, enhancing the ensuing chaos and destruction. This capability affords it a significant range advantage over Russian artillery systems using 122 mm and 152 mm calibres, which, with the most common ammunition types, are restricted to 14 km and 19 km ranges, respectively.
