Ukraine grapples with dwindling ammo for powerful 2S7 Pion guns
According to "Forbes" analyst David Axe, Ukraine's most powerful 2S7 Pion artillery guns are increasingly "silent." He attributes this not to equipment losses in the Ukrainian army, but to issues with ammunition. The 203 mm caliber shells for these guns are non-standard, and the pool of potential suppliers is very limited.
Axe notes that at the beginning of the war in February 2022, the Ukrainian army had approximately 100 2S7 Pion howitzers in service. These howitzers played a role in the initial defense of Kyiv and were later distributed across the country to support Ukrainian brigades on the eastern front line. In recent months, their use has been infrequent, even though the Russians have destroyed (or captured) only about 10 units. The main issue for the Ukrainians is obtaining 203 mm caliber shells.
Ukrainians face ammunition challenges for the 2S7 Pion
It is likely that Ukraine's stockpile of these shells has been depleted. Currently, only Russia manufactures them, which forces Kyiv to seek support from allies. However, this is a difficult task. Reports from the front indicate that Ukrainians have used American M106 artillery shells in the 2S7 Pion.
The administration of former U.S. President Joe Biden provided Ukraine with about 10,000 M105 and M106 shells in 2023. According to Axe, it's unlikely they will get more now, both due to Donald Trump's stance and the limited availability of this ammunition in American stockpiles. The analyst suggests that among European countries supportive of Ukraine, 203 mm caliber shells may primarily be found in Greece and Turkey.
"If the 2S7 appear again at a later time, look to Turkey to find out why," writes Axe.
The 2S7 Pion artillery systems date back to the Soviet Union era. They were designed in the early 1970s. Although they have certain drawbacks, primarily a low rate of fire of 1.5 rounds per minute, they can be compared to NATO artillery in terms of range.
They can hit targets about 22 miles away, and with rocket-assisted shells, their range increases to up to 31 miles. They also deliver substantial firepower, with shells weighing about 220 pounds, causing the ground around the howitzer to shake during firing. Initially, there were plans to use the 2S7 Pion for firing shells with nuclear and chemical warheads, but currently, neither Ukrainians nor Russians use them for this purpose.
The 2S7 Pion weighs 51 tons and measures over 43 feet in length. In 1983, the Russians developed a modernized version of this self-propelled gun, the 2S7 Malka, which focused on higher fire rates and more space for additional ammunition.
