Now that Ukraine has received 4x self-propelled howitzers, let's do a quick comparison of:
• M109A3GN (photo), M109A4BE, M109A5Ö
• Zuzana 2
• AHS Krab
• PzH 2000
1/n
The three M109 variants:
• M109A3GN modernized & donated by Norway
• M109A4BE modernized by Belgium & donated by the UK
• M109A5Ö modernized by Austria & donated by Latvia (photo)
have a 39 caliber barrel and thus an 18 liter charge chamber, which can hold max.
2/n
five M232A1 charges. This results in a maximum range of 24 km with boat tail projectiles and 30 km with base bleed projectiles.
Being the oldest design the M109 require manual projectile loading, manual projectile ramming, manual charge loading, manual primer loading.
3/n
Only the Austrian M109A5Ö has a semi-automatic rammer, which allows for slightly faster operation.
The Austrian rammer is similar (but not the same) as the semi-automatic rammers in the US Army's M109A6 Paladin shown in this clip.
4/n
The donated M109 require time and proximity fuzes to be set manually before the projectiles are rammed into the barrel.
All three are better than the Soviet 2S1 Gvozdika & 2S3 Akatsiya howitzers Ukraine used before, but the next howitzers are much more advanced.
5/n
The Slovak Zuzana 2 is a wheeled, fully automatic self-propelled howitzer:
• colored in red the projectile storage, which holds max. 40 projectiles
• colored in blue the charge storage, which holds max. 240 M232A1 charges
6/n
The Zuzana 2's 52 caliber barrel has a 23 liter charge chamber, which can hold max. 6 M232A1 charges.
This results in a maximum range of 30 km with boat tail projectiles and 40 km with base bleed projectiles - identical to the range of the AHS Krab and PzH 2000.
7/n
The Zuzana 2 can stop fire 6 rounds in a minute then depart, making it impossible for enemy counter battery fire to hit her.
In the following clip at 17 seconds the loading of projectiles and fuzes is shown.
8/n
The Zuzana 2 (like Krab and PzH 2000) is MRSI capable and sets time and proximity fuzes automatically.
French/Swedish BONUS rounds also work with the Zuzana 2.
Ukraine received so far four Zuzana 2, with another four arriving later this year.
9/n
The Polish AHS Krab has the same barrel, charge chamber, & range specs as the Zuzana 2.
The Krab has semi-automatic projectile loading, automatic projectile ramming, manual charge loading, automatic primer loading.
I found this clip of Ukrainian troops operating the Krab,
10/n
but even after editing it, the clip doesn't show how the Krab's loading mechanism works.
As the Krab turret is a version of the British Army's AS-90 - here is a clip of a British AS-90 crew, which shows how the ammo moves from the automatic magazine to the barrel.
11/n
Last but not least the German/Dutch PzH 2000 has the same barrel, charge chamber, & range specs as the Zuzana 2 and Krab.
What sets the PzH 2000 apart is its fully automatic projectile loading & ramming. Charges are loaded manually, while primers are loaded automatically.
12/n
The PzH 2000 sets time & proximity fuzes, & M982 Excalibur projectiles automatically, & is compatible with BONUS and SMArt projectiles.
In short - it is the best self-propelled howitzer in the world.
Even a single soldier can fire four rounds in 30 seconds with a PzH 2000.
13/n
With the PzH 2000, AHS Krab and Zuzana 2 Ukraine now fields three of the most modern self-propelled howitzers, but with just 18 PzH 2000, 18 Krab and 4 Zuzana 2 Ukraine is short by 100 howitzers.
Ukraine needs and deserves to receive more of these awesome systems ASAP.
14/.
Share this Scrolly Tale with your friends.
A Scrolly Tale is a new way to read Twitter threads with a more visually immersive experience.
Discover more beautiful Scrolly Tales like this.