German artillery trumps Polish as Ukraine gets more Howitzers
The German government has updated the list of military equipment and gear donated to Ukraine. It reveals that, in recent weeks, additional PzH 2000 howitzers have been sent to the front. Statements from some Ukrainian soldiers have indicated that they value these more than the Polish Krabs.
9:56 AM EST, November 21, 2024
Some Ukrainian artillerymen criticize the Polish Krabs for their much simpler interior, incomplete automatic loading system, and thinner armor than the PzH 2000 (Panzerhaubitze 2000). Initially, there were reports about issues with the PzH 2000 in Ukraine, which were said to concern the loading system and reliability, among other things. However, defense industry analysts believe these occurred only in the war's early phase and resulted from the crews' lack of experience.
More PzH 2000 howitzers in Ukraine
According to data collected by the creators of the blog Oryx, who monitor and document the losses on both sides of the conflict in Ukraine, so far, the Russians have eliminated only one PzH 2000 and as many as 36 Krabs. It should be noted, however, that Poland has sent significantly more of these howitzers to the front.
The PzH 2000 is a howitzer that weighs as much as 126,000 pounds, which is due in part to its armor. A plus of the German systems is that the ammunition magazine has been completely isolated from the crew.
Regarding combat capabilities, the PzH 2000 meets NATO standards as it features a 155 mm caliber gun (a standard in NATO artillery weapons). Its barrel length is 52 calibers, and it can fire up to 10 rounds per minute and a five-shot salvo in MRSI mode.
German aid for Ukraine - latest package
Over the last five weeks, Germany has also provided Ukraine with several more PzH 2000 units, hundreds of unmanned aerial vehicles of various purposes (including medium-range reconnaissance drones like Vector), several M109 howitzers and Caracal assault vehicles, and specialized and engineering vehicles. The packages sent to the front also included ammunition of various calibers, including rounds for Marder 1A3 infantry fighting vehicles.
On the other hand, Germany remains firm against Ukrainian requests for long-range cruise missiles like the Taurus. Deputy government spokesman Wolfgang Buechner confirmed that Chancellor Olaf Scholz had not changed his decision to refuse to supply this weapon to Ukraine. His position is not influenced by the actions of the American administration, which has allowed Ukraine to use American weapons for attacks on targets located in Russian territory.
