Ukraine and Slovakia are poised to expand defense cooperation with production of large-caliber ammunition, Bozena demining systems, and a yet unknown new weapon, Ukrinform reports. The announcement comes from the President of Slovakia Zuzana Čaputová at a joint press conference with her Ukrainian counterpart President Zelensky, in Bratislava, July 7th.
"We managed to sign a contract for the supply of 16 Zuzana's to Ukraine and this will happen very soon," said President Čaputová as delivered by Interfax-Ukraine. "We will jointly develop a new type of howitzers, joint production of ammunition will begin and our enterprises will clear the territory of Ukraine from mines."
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Most likely, the first part refers to the earlier agreement on the supply of 16 Zuzana 2 howitzers signed back in October 2022 on the outlines of the Copenhagen Conference between Slovakia – on one part, and Norway, Germany, and Denmark – on the other. According to the agreement, the mentioned countries would pay Slovakia for the artillery systems that will go to Ukraine.
The second part is more interesting. Earlier Ukrainian state defense concern UkrOboronProm declared it managed to launch serial production of artillery ammunition of Soviet calibers 122mm and 152mm, as well as 125mm tank shells and smaller mortar bombs. However, the prospect of 155mm ammo production has been vague because despite Ukraine over the past year and a half has received numerous 155mm howitzers from allies, it doesn't produce any 155mm guns of its own. The Bohdana howitzer was the only project that never hit the mass production phase.
On the other hand, the joint production of ammunition for the 155mm Zuzana 2 artillery system might be the final Ukrainian answer to that dilemma, especially considering the mentioned "new type of howitzer" that will be produced. Given Ukraine's aspirations to NATO and the current priorities of the Slovak defense industry, the new co-created artillery system is likely to be of 155mm caliber and may could become the first Ukrainian-made NATO-caliber howitzer to hit serial production.
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