Polish Territorial Defense Force units will not adopt the 152mm Dana self-propelled guns, received from the operational forces, likely looking forward to the acquisition of 105mm artillery instead. While this decision might be unsafe in the short term, upon detailed consideration it makes sense and raises the issue of a possible transfer of unneeded howitzers to Ukraine.
Upon an inquiry from the Defence24, the spokesman for the Polish Territorial Defense Forces replied that, after an expert assessment, it was decided to abandon the implementation of the DANA wz. 1977. This means that instead of using an interim solution that could help with training and gaining experience, comprehensive purchases of the new planned weapons will be considered straight away.
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One reason is the logistics problems associated with using the old 152 millimeter caliber, as none other self-propelled artillery system in service is using the same.
Another argument is that Dana guns in service, planned for this handover, are still needed in the regular army. Specifically, it's operated by the units that rely on wheeled equipment, such as the KTO Rosomak armored fighting vehicle. They were supposed to transition to domestically developed Kryl self-propelled guns, but the project stalled, no specific plans to continue working on it, so the older systems won't be decommissioned any soon.
Worth adding here, Poland could seek a purchase of foreign wheeled SPGs, such as the French CAESAR. The country has previously shown interest in this option, yet no exact commitments have been made in that direction. Most likely, Dana will have to serve in the Polish Army until 2035, Defence24 notes.
The decision may lead to some additional opportunities. In fact, the retired older systems could be handed over to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which already have a number of Dana systems in their inventory. However, this arrangement rests on the willingness of the Polish military to part with the systems and, as mentioned earlier, it doesn't look so at least in the nearest 10-year perspective.
As for the Polish Land Forces, they still don't know how long they will need to wait for the 105mm artillery. Nor can they tell what exact type of system is under consideration. Looking back at Ukraine, light howitzers of this class in general have proven flexible in high-intensity counter-battery warfare.
In total, more than a hundred 152mm Dana self-propelled guns of the Polish Army will remain in place for the time being. Due to their age and outdated out-of-the-line caliber, they will definitely be decommissioned sooner or later but the timeline of this phaseout is hard to tell.
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