Ukraine is developing a towed version of the Bohdana howitzer

Ukraine is developing a towed 155-mm howitzer based on an artillery unit from the 2S22 Bohdana wheeled vehicle.

Ukrayinska Pravda reported on this.

The designers intend to install an artillery unit from a Ukrainian self-propelled howitzer on a Soviet artillery system carriage.

The type of howitzer that served as the prototype for the prospective system is not specified. However, three 152-mm systems – Msta-B, Giatsint-B, and D-20 – are suitable for such adaptation.

Despite the same caliber, the main difference between them is the length of the barrel and the type of ammunition for which the carriage was designed to carry the load and energy of the shot.

The most practical choice for the existing artillery unit of the promising Bohdana-B would be the Giatsint chassis, which is adapted to the proportional energy and weight of the breech and 52-caliber barrel.

However, it is possible that Bogdani could shorten the barrel by 2000 mm to 39 caliber to make it more compact and mount it on a lighter carriage from the Msta. Such a configuration would be suitable for use by brigade artillery groups, whose scope of tasks is limited to a shorter range along the front.

It is also worth mentioning the somewhat exotic option of converting old Soviet 130mm M-46 guns to the new caliber, which was practiced by the Serbian Yugoimport SDPR (M-46/84) and the Indian Gun Carriage Factory (Sharang).

Both modernizations involve installing a new 155mm 45 caliber barrel on the carriage of the existing M-46. This modification allows the weapon to increase its range up to 39 km.

Read more about the nuances of the development of the trailer howitzer in the article “Bohdana-B: prospects of towed artillery for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.”

The Ukrainian Defense Ministry noted that the initiative to produce a trailer version of the Bohdana came from the military, which was looking for a system that was easier to operate and less noticeable than a full-fledged combat vehicle.

At the same time, the prospects of producing Bohdana-B in parallel with its self-propelled version seem to be bolstered by the growing production of 155-caliber artillery barrels. Currently, the Ukrainian defense industry produces the self-propelled artillery system of the same name on several chassis at once, in the amount of more than 10 vehicles per month.

It is worth reminding that the work of Ukrainian designers on a trailer howitzer was first reported last November, but at that time, no specific details of the project were disclosed.