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/.
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Today Italy's Army releases its vision for its future.
In it I found this image of the "battlespace of the future". I added the names of some of the systems the army says its needs in the future, only two of which the army doesn't posses:
• 🇹🇷Bayraktar TB2
• 🇮🇱IAI Harop
1/4
These two systems devastated the Armenian Army in 2020.
Other interesting points:
• more, and more modern tanks and armored vehicles, and a national mass production capability for them
• massed C-RAM and C-UAS systems
• deep strike capability with ER-GMLRS, combat drones, 2/4
loitering munitions, and Vulcano ammunition
• new AW249 attack helicopter, AW169 light utility helicopter, and also American Future Vertical Lift helicopters
• ballistic missile defense, more SAMP/T air defense systems, and introduction of Grifo SHORAD air defense systems 3/4
A little map of the situation in Northern Luhansk after the rout of the russian invaders from Kharkiv Oblast.
Black 1 = the Oskil River frontline russia tries to establish.
Red 2s = the russian units retreating - those fleeing from Northern Kharkiv are on exterior lines and 1/n
therefore need much more time to reach the Oskil River, than the decimated russian units that fled from Izyum over the Oskil dam. However those russian units lost much of their equipment and vehicles, and all their ammo stores, so they are in no shape to defend a new
2/n
Oskil frontline.
Purple 3s = are the two bridges on the last railway in Northern Luhansk the russians control.
Until Ukraine liberated Kupiansk russian logistics moved from Valuyki to Kupiansk, Svatove and Rubizhne (cities in purple squares). Once Ukraine HIMARSes the two 3/n
I added the area around Yasynuvate (pink/green circle with 5) to my map from yesterday.
I have no idea how the Ukrainians got there and in what strength, but as they released video they want the russians to know that they control all roads North of Izyum now.
two arrows with the likely routes Ukrainian troops will take from Yasynuvate:
• if the Oskil river bridge in Horokhovatka isn't already himarsed, then the Ukrainians will head there to cut off the last russian escape route East.
• and the Ukrainians will head to
2/4
Chystovodivka as it's an ideal ambush spot for russian coming from the West, that are trying to reach the bridge in Horokhovatka.
The Ukrainians also reached Hrushivka outside Kupiansk and now the russian logistic hub and the railyard in Kupiansk are in 120mm mortar range.
3/4
Moshe Schwartz (@YWNReporter) geolocated this video of a russian pontoon ferry coming under attack on the Dnipro in Nova Kakhovka.
Injured russians, panicked russian meme face, etc. aside - but I want to know what hit this ferry.
1/n
1) the precision of the impact makes it clear that a guided projectile hit the ferry 2) and the distance from the ferry to Ukrainian lines makes it impossible that 155 mm artillery projectiles were used. The ferry's location is even outside the range of Excalibur projectiles. 2/n
3) this leaves M142 HIMARS fired GMLRS missiles... but the explosive force of three M31A1 would have caused way more death and destruction, and likely sunk the ferry. While a M30A1 would have shredded every living thing on the ferry... so both of these can be ruled out too. 3/n
Biden won't declare russia to be a "state sponsor of terrorism", as Biden foolishly still hopes russia will help him get a new bonkers Iran deal...
1) if Iran signs a deal it can throw millions of barrels of oil on the market, depressing oil prices... but high oil prices
1/4
prices are now the main source of income for russia and putin needs this to finance his war in Ukraine 2) and russia has no interest to pressure Iran, as russia needs Iranian drones and ammo for putin's war in Ukraine 3) last but not least - if there is no deal either Israel
2/4
or the US will have to attack Iran to stop the Mullahs from enriching Uranium for a nuclear bomb... putin likely wants such a Iran-US/Israel confrontation in the (vain) hope this would slow the US help for Ukraine
Biden (and his national security council team) are foolish
3/4