The ๐ณ๐ฑ#Netherlands and the ๐จ๐ฟ#Czechia are currently preparing two other projects in the field of air defence and artillery for ๐บ๐ฆ#Ukraine.
I think the projects will go in the same direction as the current rebuild of 90 T-72 tanks or the production of 115 MR-2 systems. That is, the production and coordination of the projects will be done in ๐จ๐ฟ#Czechia, while the ๐ณ๐ฑ#Netherlands will largely finance the projects.
2/x
Now let's see what anti-aircraft systems the ๐จ๐ฟ#Czech Republic can offer:
1) Production of additional MR-2 systems.
The MR-2 is a very short-range anti-aircraft system designed primarily to shoot down ๐ฎ๐ท#Iranian Shahed-136 (Geran-2) drones.
3/x
The MR-2 consists of an anti-aircraft ZPU-2 (consisting of a pair of 14.5ร114mm KPV heavy machine guns) mounted on the hull of a #Toyota Land Cruiser 4x4. The "Viktor", as this system is also called, is capable of operating day and night, thanks to both day and night optics.
4/x
#Viktor is also capable of direct fire on target and even can take out armoured targets such as MT-LB, BMP or BMD. Production of 115 of these systems is currently underway. 15 units were crowdfunded by @GiftPutin , and 100 units were paid for by ๐บ๐ฆ#Ukraine's allies.
5/x
2) Modernized ๐จ๐ฟ#Czech 2K12 Kub with #Aspide 2000 missiles.
A few years ago, an attempt was made to modernize the rapidly aging ๐จ๐ฟ#Czech 2K12 Kub. #Soviet missiles were replaced by modern ๐ฎ๐น#Italian#Aspide 2000s. Due to finances, the project was cancelled.
Excalibur International, in partnership with ๐น๐ท#Turkey's @roketsan, has been awarded a contract to supply the #Hisar-O (MRAD) and the #Khan tactical ballistic missile system to ๐ฎ๐ฉ#Indonesia. The total cost of both projects exceeds 500 million euros.
7/x
Deliveries of both systems will begin in 2024 and part of the contract includes the partial transfer of production to ๐ฎ๐ฉ#Indonesia, where the #Hisar-O system is called #TriSula-O. EXINT has the role of system architect.
8/x
Another ๐จ๐ฟ#Czech company @retiacz has the role of system integrator and together with Eldis will supply the radars. The missiles and launchers are from the ๐น๐ท#Turkish company @roketsan. The chassis will be supplied by ๐จ๐ฟ#Czech#Tatra.
9/x
#Hisar-O has a range of 25km and an altitude range of 15km. The radars can detect and track up to 60 targets at a range of 40-60km. The battery contains of 3 launchers (6 missiles each).
10/x
Hisar-U / TriSula-U
#Hisar-U is also part of #Excalibur International and @roketsan's deliveries to ๐ฎ๐ฉ#Indonesia. Hisar-U is a long-range SAM system with a minimum range of 30km and a maximum range of 70+km (some sources talk about 90km, 100km and even 150+km).
11/x
Now the second part: artillery systems.
The ๐จ๐ฟ#Czechia, specifically @excaliburarmycz, has several artillery systems in its portfolio.
1) 152mm ShKH Dana-M2
The Dana-M2 is a modernization of the Dana vz.77 SPH, with a new cab, modern FCS and ammo with a range of 25.5km.
12/x
26 of these howitzers are currently being delivered to ๐บ๐ฆ#Ukraine, where they will serve alongside the original Dana vz.77
#Dita is a further development of the Dana vz.77, or Dana-M2. The howitzer was fitted with a new turret with 155mm gun with a range of up to 39km. The chassis was modernized and received a cab taken from the Dana-M2.
14/x
๐บ๐ฆ#Ukraine has also expressed an interest in the howitzer, so I think it is very likely that the production of the howitzer for #Ukraine is under way, and the ๐ณ๐ฑ#Netherlands & ๐จ๐ฟ#Czechia will be involved in financing it.
15/x
3) 155mm ShKH Morana
#Morana is a brand new design based on #Tatra 815-7 8x8 chassis. The howitzer is currently under development and needs at least another year of production time. Therefore, I don't think this is a very likely choice.
16/x
The #Morana has a 155mm/L52 gun and a range of up to 41.5km. The howitzer has a crew of three - driver, commander and operator. The howitzer is also capable of direct fire. For its own protection, the howitzer has an RWS with a 12.7mm machine gun.
17/x
4) Purchase of Soviet howitzers from third countries
In the past @excaliburarmycz has supplied Ukraine with dozens of #Soviet howitzers (mostly 122mm 2S1 Gvozdika) and BMPs. Howitzers were bought in third countries, repaired and shipped to ๐บ๐ฆ#Ukraine.
18/x
The ๐จ๐ฟ#Czech Republic also announced that it intends to increase its assistance to ๐บ๐ฆ#Ukraine, particularly in the supply of ammunition, tanks, APCs and #NATO assistance.
In 2011, the ๐จ๐ฟ#Czech company #Retia presented a demonstrator of the upgraded 2K12 #Kub complex. The main change was the replacement of the original #3M9M3 missiles with ๐ฎ๐น#Italian#MBDA#Aspide 2000 missiles, which are based on the ๐บ๐ธ#US AIM-9E #Sparrow.
Thread๐งถ
The missiles have maximum speed of Mach 4, range of 25km and have a 32kg warhead.
Missiles were now housed in compact launch containers, thus eliminating the need for constant loading onto launch rails and stacking on transport/loading vehicles. SURNCZ radar was used for guidance
This modernized complex has never been accepted into service by the ๐จ๐ฟ#Czech Army, and currently the original 2K12 Kub is waiting to be replaced by the ๐ฎ๐ฑ#Israeli#Spyder system by #Rafael on the #Tatra 815-7 chassis.
Since 2014, there have been many vehicle modifications on both sides on the #Ukrainian battlefield. One of the most frequently modified vehicles is the MT-LB, originally intended as an artillery tractor.
Of course, many mass-produced vehicles were built on the MT-LB chassis, such as the 9k35 Strela-10, the 9P149 Shturm-S, or the 2S1 Gvozdika.
2/
Since the beginning of the war in #Donbas, soldiers have been forced to use the MT-LB for tasks other than those for which it was intended. They used it, and still do, for example as an APC. They immediately began to feel the weakness of the vehicle's firepower and armour.