Ukraine and Slovakia to create a 155-mm self-propelled howitzer

Ukraine and Slovakia have agreed on the joint development of a 155mm self-propelled howitzer.

The Slovak publication Denník E reports.

The purpose of this cooperation is adaptation of the Slovak Eva self-propelled howitzer to Ukrainian requirements and integration of technical solutions from Ukrainian partners.

The publication notes that the Slovak state company Konstrukta Defense is a partner in the creation of the new self-propelled howitzers, while the PJSC Kramatorsk Heavy Duty Machine Tool Building Plant, which manufactures its own howitzers, is the partner from the Ukrainian side.

“Our goal is to build a functional prototype of the new howitzer within one year,” Director General of Konstrukta Defense Alexander Gurský said.

Both companies have already signed a memorandum of cooperation. The director of the PJSC Kramatorsk Heavy Duty Machine Tool Building Plant Vitaliy Zagudaev confirmed this as well. The companies also agreed on other types of joint activities, the Slovak publication writes.

“Konstrukta Defense is a good and reliable partner with whom we are developing projects in the field of mortars, ammunition, modernization of the Bohdana project, as well as in the development of a new 155mm howitzer,” said Zagudaev.

According to Alexander Gurský, cooperation began to develop due to the fact that the Ukrainians were satisfied with the Slovak Zuzana 2 howitzers, which the Armed Forces of Ukraine had ordered in the summer of 2022. The last of them arrived in Ukraine in January 2023. In this cooperation, the idea was born to build a completely new howitzer, in which each of the parties would invest the maximum of their capabilities and technical solutions.

Denník E emphasizes that so far these are only plans that may not be implemented. One of the potential risks is the elections in Slovakia, which will take place in September. Political parties that promise to end military support for Ukraine can benefit from them. Even commercial defense cooperation with Ukraine may be unacceptable to them.

However, Director General of Konstrukta Defense Alexander Gurský noted that large arms projects usually continued even after a possible change of government. He considers the development of the Slovak-Ukrainian howitzer very promising, and that it would be a shame for the entire Slovak defense industry if someone deliberately slowed it down.

“The project with Ukrainian partners is a huge opportunity for our entire arms industry, which has either been in decline since 1989, or has been standing still,” adds the head of the state-owned company.

The Eva self-propelled howitzer is a 155mm howitzer based on a Tatra 6×6 truck, but the system can be also mounted on a 8×8 truck chassis. The crew consists of three people. The howitzer is equipped with an autoloader system and contains 12 ready-to-fire shells, while 12 additional shells are carried on the chassis.