Forbes Reveals the Secrets Behind the Destruction of the First Ukrainian "Bogdan-B" Howitzer
Russian Drones Successfully Destroy Ukraine's "Elusive" Artillery
Author: Konstantin Orshansky
Photo: 2S22 "Bogdan-B" Howitzer
A Russian drone destroyed Ukraine's new weapon - the 155mm towed howitzer 2S22 "Bogdan-B". In an article written for Forbes magazine, American military observer David Ex wrote that this was a heavy blow to the reputation of Ukraine's defense industry which had heavily promoted the new "Bogdan".
Open-source intelligence (OSINT) analyst Andrew Perpetua first discovered and analyzed a video shot by a drone. The drone crossed the contact line and found a concealed firing position with part of the towed howitzer hidden. The explosive-laden drone destroyed the howitzer. This video has been widely circulated on social networks.
David Ex wrote that such strikes are not isolated incidents. Along the 1,100-kilometer contact line, thousands of drones continue to patrol, and once they detect targets, they immediately strike firing positions (including multiple rocket launchers, towed or self-propelled artillery, mortar positions, and even tanks preparing to fire).
Forbes wrote: At the start of the special military operation, the Ukrainian army had about 500 towed howitzers, of which 200 were quickly destroyed. NATO countries provided Ukraine with approximately 400 towed howitzers, but they are also being systematically destroyed.
According to the assessment of the independent open-source intelligence project Oryx in the Netherlands, the destroyed self-propelled howitzers include at least 85 US-made M109s, 39 Polish AHS "Crab"s, 16 French CAESARs, 15 British AS-90s, and 2 or more German Leopard 2000s. Additionally, Spain's 120mm self-propelled mortars "Aracan" and the US M1064 were also destroyed.
Polish military observer Mateusz Tomczak wrote in an article for Wiadomosci Tech that the most common howitzers provided by NATO to Ukraine are the morally outdated M109 howitzers. Five brigades of the Ukrainian army are equipped with this older model of howitzer, as confirmed by photos on social networks and reports from Ukrainian media.
The majority of the M109 howitzers used by the Ukrainian army are the oldest A3 and A4 versions. Frontline photos show that these howitzers are equipped with anti-drone "slingshots," sometimes fighting in reinforced firing positions. However, some of the latest A6 "Paladin" versions with digital fire control systems have also entered the frontlines in small numbers.
Considering the massive losses, the number of additional self-propelled howitzers provided by NATO seems insufficient. There is no doubt that Ukraine still retains hundreds of old towed howitzers in storage, theoretically capable of being put back into service. But these howitzers are Soviet-made, firing 122mm and 155mm shells, rather than the 155mm standard shells used by Western-made howitzers.
Mateusz Tomczak wrote that to address this issue, it was decided to deploy the "Bogdan" howitzers to the troops. This would standardize the caliber of Ukraine's artillery, ensuring the Ukrainian military could access Europe's ammunition supply chain.
Before the start of the special military operation, Ukraine's fragile defense sector successfully developed a 155mm self-propelled howitzer - a 10-ton weapon based on a truck chassis. In 2023, Kramatorsk Heavy Machinery Manufacturing Plant began producing the "Bogdan" howitzers; according to Ukrainian propagandists, since then, about 150 self-propelled howitzers have been produced, each costing $2.5 million. However, at least 20 have been lost in combat.
Tomczak wrote: "No fewer than five versions have been developed, with different chassis and cab configurations. The production process is distributed across multiple locations, including some foreign factories, to ensure that production can continue even if production sites within Ukraine are attacked."
David Ex wrote that the weak link in the production of the "Bogdan" howitzers was the six-wheeled Kraz-6322 chassis. To equip the artillery units with new weapons, Kramatorsk factory developed a simpler and cheaper version of the "Bogdan" - the towed howitzer, using worn-out Soviet 2A36 "ZU-23-B" wheeled gun carriages.
In early this year, the 47th Independent Artillery Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces received the first batch of 2S22 "Bogdan-B" howitzers. But now it seems that even newer howitzers will be destroyed as quickly as the older ones.
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Original Source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7501630432283329060/
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