Ukraine ramps up production of NATO-standard 2S22 Howitzers
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, announced that Ukraine is capable of producing 20 2S22 Bogdana howitzers per month. We present the performance of the howitzer, whose development closely resembles that of the Polish Krab.
After two years of testing under wartime conditions, Ukraine was able to commence serial production of the 2S22 Bogdana howitzer in April 2024. According to Ukrainian sources, the monthly production is impressive, reaching 20 units.
It is worth noting, however, that this is a relatively simple wheeled system based on a civilian truck, which greatly facilitates production compared to heavily armoured self-propelled howitzers on tracked chassis such as the AHS Krab or PzH-2000.
2S22 Bogdana — The first Ukrainian-produced artillery meeting NATO standards
The 2S22 Bogdana howitzer is a project similar in concept to the French CAESAR, as it features a 155 mm calibre gun with a barrel length of 52 calibres mounted on a truck chassis. Initially, it was mounted on a KrAZ-63221 truck, but now the Czech Tatra Phoenix 8x8, which is well-known in Ukrainian industry, is used.
The current model is equipped with an armoured cabin, further secured with slat armour to protect against Russian bomblets from cluster munitions and FPV drones with shaped charge warheads.
The howitzer's operation is based on a semi-automatic loading system. This system requires only removing a shell from the magazine and placing it in the nearby feeder, eliminating the need for manual loading into the gun. Such a system allows for a firing rate of up to six rounds per minute.
The Bogdana's effective range depends on the type of ammunition. For standard DM121 shells, the effective maximum range is 19 miles, while using M549A1 rocket-assisted shells allows for striking targets up to 37 miles away. Optionally, the system can utilise guided M982 Excalibur shells, reaching ranges over 31 miles, although in the era of GPS jammers, these have become nearly useless.
The Ukrainian howitzer can also fire in MRSI (Multiple Rounds Simultaneous Impact) mode, where launched shells reach the target simultaneously, maximising the destructive effect. This gives the system a clear advantage over Russian 122 mm and 152 mm artillery regarding range, accuracy, and firepower.
