A new defense cooperation agreement between Poland and Ukraine will lead to the joint production of the Bohdana 155-millimeter artillery system in Poland. The partnership involves Polish manufacturer Ponar Wadowice and Ukraine’s Kramatorsk Machine-Building Plant, the developer of the artillery platform. The project will produce both the self-propelled and towed versions of the system and aims to supply the howitzers to Poland’s military as well as other international buyers. Because Ukraine’s defense industry is currently focused on supplying its own armed forces during the ongoing war with Russia, export deliveries of the system have been limited. Establishing production in Poland will therefore help make the platform more accessible to NATO partners seeking modern artillery equipment. Poland continues to operate the Soviet-designed Dana self-propelled howitzer chambered in the older 152-millimeter caliber. Meanwhile, the planned Kryl replacement program has been placed on hold, creating an opportunity for the Bohdana system to fill the modernization gap. The system may also appeal to other NATO countries located along the alliance’s eastern flank that are looking for artillery platforms capable of firing NATO-standard 155-millimeter ammunition. The Bohdana howitzer first entered service with Ukrainian forces in May 2022 and played a notable role in the campaign to retake Snake Island from Russian forces. Mass production began in early 2023, and around 30 systems had been delivered to Ukrainian troops by the end of that year. Since then, the system has become one of the primary artillery platforms used by Ukraine’s military. Designers have continued to refine the weapon based on battlefield experience, introducing upgraded versions approximately every six months. Across all variants, production is estimated to have reached about 600 units, with monthly output climbing to roughly 40 guns by 2025. The eight-wheeled artillery vehicle weighs about 28 tons, is operated by a five-person crew, and can fire standard shells up to 42 kilometers or rocket-assisted ammunition up to 50 kilometers.
