Ukraine plans more CAESAR howitzer purchases, eyes AI to cut ammo usage

The importance of artillery in Ukraine's defense system can’t be overlooked, despite the use of diverse armament. The French self-propelled howitzer, CAESAR (CAmion Equipé d'un Système d'ARtillerie), is particularly favored and has successfully fired upon Russian positions. The first of these models were deployed to the front lines in mid-2022, with France supplying more units since then.

There are ongoing plans to procure more of these systems. As per Ukraine's Deputy Defense Minister Ivan Havryliuk, starting 2024, an "artillery coalition" aims to fortify the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

According to Ukrainian sources, there's a strong interest within the Ukrainian Armed Forces to procure additional CAESAR systems. They value the weapon's efficiency, its relatively low cost, and high-availability - the production rate lately increased to six units monthly, with plans to reach eight per month soon.

The CAESAR system has been in production since 2006. The French have developed a design using a six or eight-wheeled truck as a base, mounting a modern 155mm calibre gun with a semi-automatic loading system. The weapon's range is estimated at around 24.85 to 31.07 miles, depending on the ammunition used.

Ukraine has ambitious plans regarding the use of CAESAR howitzers. According to Ivan Havryliuk, the first tests of new fire control systems supported by artificial intelligence are slated for 2024.

As the Deputy Defense Minister highlighted, the integration of artificial intelligence could curtail artillery ammunition usage by up to 30%. This substantial decrease is noteworthy, especially as Ukraine is presently struggling with the supply of Western-made ammunition for their artillery systems.