Ukraine outpaces NATO in artillery production with Bohdana
Ukraine has significantly increased the production of Bohdana self-propelled howitzers, now reaching a level of 36 units per month. This scale of production far exceeds the capabilities of European NATO members, including major powers like France.
Previously, the Ukrainian Defence Procurement Agency reported the production of "over 20" such guns each month. However, according to sources from Army Technology and a report published on 25 April, the production scale has now increased to as many as 36 Bohdana self-propelled howitzers per month.
Development and production of Bohdan howitzers
The Bohdana has become a "media" weapon and artillery showcase for Ukraine due to its role in the operation to liberate Snake Island. It was long an experimental weapon, officially put into service only in 2023. That was when Ukrainians began serial production, rapidly increasing the pace while systematically introducing further improvements.
As a result, at least five versions have been developed, differing in chassis and cabin configuration. The production process has been dispersed across multiple locations, including some plants abroad, to ensure continuity even in the event of attacks on production sites located within Ukraine.
This Ukrainian design uses a 155 mm calibre gun, which complies with NATO standards and offers a maximum firing range of about 60 kilometres (enabled by a barrel length of 52 calibres) and a firing rate of 6 rounds per minute. When implementing modifications in the latest versions of this howitzer, Ukrainian designers adopted Tatra Phoenix 8x8 chassis, used armoured cabins, and installed a semi-automatic loading system.
Ukraine's artillery showcase
It is estimated that the cost of one Bohdana self-propelled howitzer is around $2.5 (€2.2) million, depending on the chassis used. The production scale of 36 units per month far exceeds the capabilities of European NATO members. For example, France, which is a leader in this field, reached a production level of 12 CAESAR self-propelled howitzers per month in 2024.
Simultaneously, Ukrainians are also developing a towed version known as Bohdana-B. This was first shown in photos from live-fire exercises in March of this year. This design is significantly cheaper - around $1.5 (€1.3) million per unit.
As noted by the Ukrainian service UNITED24 Media, the production of domestic artillery systems has become crucial as Ukraine faces continuous equipment losses on the battlefield and limited weapon supplies from allies. Among the artillery delivered from the West are British AS90s, German PzH 2000s, French CAESARs, and Polish Krabs.
