Over the past one and a half years, the Ukrainian Defense Forces have acquired dozens of CAESAR self-propelled 155mm artillery systems as military aid from allies — primarily from France and Denmark. Hearing positive reviews from the military, the Ukrainian government also recently bought 12 units directly from KNDS France.
The 55th Artillery Brigade troops are among those praising the self-propelled gun. In an interview with ArmyInform journalists, crew commander Andrii said his people work with the older version of the CAESAR, produced in 2007, and they wouldn't change it for the newer versions.
Read more: Pros and Cons of CAESAR Performance on Battlefields From Ukrainian Artillerymen and From Defense Ministry
"Because the new one is much larger: it has four axles, not three, it is longer and higher. It is difficult to hide it in the greenery, you have to dig a much larger caponier, and it's also not as maneuverable. It has much more electronics, thus increasing the likelihood of some kind of breakdown," Andrii says of the latest versions of the French self-propelled gun.
On a note from Defense Express, Ukraine has both the CAESAR 6x6 variant, operated by the French Armed Forces, and the 8x8 variety in use with the Danish military. Both countries supplied Ukraine with the respective variety of systems from their own stocks: 30 from France and 19 from Denmark.
Speaking of the maintenance his CAESAR requires, artilleryman Andrii says some of the work can be done right on the site, some other fixes can be handled by Ukrainian repair specialists who studied in France, but more difficult operations need the vehicle to be sent to the manufacturer.
On a related note, KNDS announced the establishment of a subsidiary in Ukraine earlier this June. According to the letter of intent signed between the pan-European defense company and Ukraine, a service center will be created to provide service and repair for CAESARs; in particular, the sides discussed the possibility of printing spare parts locally.
Another practical aspect of operating CAESAR that the Ukrainian artillery personnel points out is the service life of the barrel: the team has fired 4,000 rounds with their current gun. Despite the unavoidable wear and tear, the barrel's condition remains satisfactory. Andrii recalls, there were barrels with shot count over 6,000 rounds.
Read more: Ukraine Receives First Czech 155-mm DITA Howitzers Nine Months After Order
