Slovenia sends vintage BOV‑3 systems to aid Ukraine
The military aid provided to Ukraine includes not only well-known equipment like Leopard 2 tanks or M113 carriers but also lesser-known vehicles produced locally by some countries for their own needs. This group includes BOV-3 anti-aircraft systems donated to Ukraine by Slovenia and made in a country that has not existed for over 30 years.
12:36 PM EDT, November 1, 2024
Although the Slovenian army consists of just 6,200 soldiers, the country regularly supports Ukraine with arms deliveries. Thanks to agreements concluded with Germany, among others, Slovenia can modernize its armed forces technically.
Old equipment from the Cold War era is being transferred to Ukraine, and in its place, Ljubljana receives newer weapons, including some from Germany. In this way, Ukraine has received items such as M-55S tanks (a variant of the T-55), M-80A infantry fighting vehicles (a combination of local solutions and the French AMX-10P), and old M2A1 howitzers.
Among the equipment delivered to Ukraine were BOV armored carriers, produced in Yugoslavia since the mid-80s and used by the armies of countries that emerged after its breakup.
BOV-3 anti-aircraft system
The latest batch of Slovenian aid for Ukraine includes, among other things, the anti-aircraft variant of these vehicles, precisely six BOV-3 systems. They are built on a four-wheeled BOV chassis with a length of 19 feet and a weight slightly exceeding 20,000 pounds.
A large turret, open from the top, is mounted on the wheeled chassis, which houses the M55 A4 M1 cannon. This is a variant of the Zastava M55 cannon, an unknown number of which have also been transferred to the Ukrainian armed forces. The M55 A4 M1 has three 0.79-inch caliber barrels powered by 60-round drum magazines. The maximum barrel elevation angle is 83 degrees.
The cannon is equipped with a Galileo J171 ballistic computer, allowing it to engage aerial targets at a distance of 1 to 1.24 miles.
