Press service of the 47th Artillery Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has published a series of photos shedding light on some design details of the 2S22 Bohdana 155mm self-propelled artillery system. In earlier versions lacking a mechanism for ammunition loading into the gun, the current serial variant boasts its presence in a close up photo below.
This configuration is not an exception, the latest version is already being produced in full swing at the JSC Kramatorsk Heavy Duty Machine Tool Building Plant (part of the NAUDI association).
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The photo showcases the entire loading system with a chain rammer for sending the ammunition into the barrel, a mechanism quite popular among artillery weapons across the globe. For instance, Czech Dana howitzer uses the same device as part of a fully automated loading system. The Ukrainian system is not at that level yet, though, despite soldiers fighting on the frontlines urging the manufacturer to implement one.
The available mechanism, nonetheless, significantly simplifies the reloading duty compared to carrying and ramming 40-kg projectiles manually.
Among the photos, there is one featuring a separate device making the readers wonder about its purpose. Below is the Gunner Collimator K-1, it's designed to enable horizontal laying of guns or mortars in low visibility conditions, such as due to smoke, snow, or rain, in the middle of the forest and in the absence of natural light.
The artillery brigade also notes in the post that the 2S22 Bohdana howitzer, although it requires constant maintenance, like any other weapon, it has "an ideal ratio of accuracy, power and combat atmosphere... if we recall our experience of working with it, we can say that it can make anything possible."
Here's an extra photo from the archive to provide a general view of the same system.
More photos in the original post below
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