Ukraine shifts artillery power: From Soviet to NATO calibers
Ukrainian barrel artillery is rapidly transitioning from Soviet-era calibers to NATO standards. By 2023, half of the shells fired were 155 mm, and in 2024 the usage of Soviet 152 mm calibers might drop to 10%. Here’s what Ukrainians are firing now.
In an interview with RBC-Ukraine, Colonel Serhij Musijenko, Deputy Commander of the Rocket Forces and Artillery of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, stated that in 2023, Ukrainian forces used 3 million shells, half of which were in the NATO 155 mm caliber. This proportion is expected to increase in 2024.
The remaining calibers are Soviet 122 mm, NATO 105 mm, and Soviet 152 mm. According to the Ukrainian officer, the use of the 152 mm in comparison to NATO's 155 mm might reach a 1:10 ratio by the end of 2024. Notably, the 152 mm NATO caliber is only used in newer systems like the DANA-M2 or Msta-B.
The usage of shells or rockets in artillery systems was 1.5 million units in the early stages of the war in 2022, which then increased to 3 million in 2023. Data for 2024 is not yet available, but it might be similar despite ammunition shortages earlier this year.
Here is what the Ukrainian artillery mainly fires
Regarding 155 mm ammunition, Ukraine uses two categories of shells. The first are classic unguided shells in budget versions or with extended range, and the second is specialized guided ammunition.
The first category includes shells with a base bleed design, variants with a bottom gas generator, and models with an additional rocket booster. Base bleed shells are the most affordable, with the German DM121 example costing 3,400 euros per piece before the war.
These shells primarily consist of a cast steel casing with a thread on top for a simple impact fuse or a more advanced one. This casing is usually packed with 20-22 pounds of TNT or another explosive material. Ukraine received these types of shells from various countries, even as far away as India.
They enable firing up to 19-20 miles with artillery systems that have a barrel length of 52 calibers, such as Germany’s PzH-2000 or Poland’s Krab. An advancement of these shells includes those equipped with a gas generator that produces exhaust gases, reducing the base resistance of the shell and resulting in a 30% longer range.
The last subgroup includes shells equipped with a rocket booster like the M549A1, which allow targets to be hit at a range of 31-37 miles. This is achieved by adding a rocket engine with fuel to the shell, which works for several seconds after being fired, further accelerating the shell. However, the trade-off is reduced explosive power, as space is taken up by the rocket motor at the expense of the TNT charge. In the M549A1 shell, the explosive component is 15 pounds, but similar values are found in competing shells.
Specialized long-range shells
The most famous example is the guided M982 Excalibur shell, which, despite a smaller TNT charge, is theoretically very effective due to its accuracy within a few meters. This is achieved through a GPS navigation module and deployable control surfaces; however, after initial success, these $100,000 shells became ineffective when Russians mastered jamming GPS signals.
The Italian-German sub-caliber shell concept, the Vulcano 155 GLR, is promising. Besides satellite navigation, it can be guided using a reflected laser beam. This allows for accuracy of under three meters, even against moving targets in any conditions. A requirement is the presence of, for example, a drone near the target illuminating it with a laser beam.
Additionally, Vulcano GLR shells are a unique sub-caliber construction whereby the shell diameter is smaller than the barrel from which it is fired. It is housed in a sabot that is discarded after firing. Such a design allowed engineers to develop a shell with much better aerodynamics, resulting in a range of approximately 43-50 miles.
Intelligent anti-tank artillery ammunition
Furthermore, Ukraine received smart shells that autonomously seek tanks and other armored vehicles. This includes German SMArt 155 and French Bonus shells. Each contains two submunitions released over the expected enemy equipment location.
These systems include sensors such as a thermal camera for thermal imaging of the target and a lidar for distance measurement. Once onboard computer algorithms correctly identify a target as military, the submunition descends and detonates an EFP warhead that penetrates over 4 inches of armored steel. Crews of just a few PzH-2000 howitzers destroyed dozens of Russian armored equipment using them. In the case of the German SMArt 155, the range of these shells is 17 miles, and for the French Bonus, it is 22 miles.
