Ukrainian artillerymen are praiseful of German military equipment they use every day to fight russians on the frontlines – that was the point voiced by Rheinmetall defense company CEO Armin Papperger during the interview to RND newsroom.
Especially it applies to PzH 2000, Papperger said as he pointed out the amount of stress the barrels are subjected to in russo-Ukrainian war is enormous, yet Ukrainians manage to squeeze the maximum from the 155mm artillery system.
Read more: Ukrainian Artillerymen About PzH 2000: Vacuum Cleaner, Tender Electronics and the "Tenacious Enemy" of this Howitzer
According to him, the norm for the maximum shots a PzH 2000 barrel can take is 4,500. After that, the manufacturer recommends replacing the exhausted barrel with a new one.
Instead, the PzH 2000 howitzers in Ukraine demonstrated that a single barrel can withstand 20,0000 (!) shots. Even if this is a single case, not a general trend, it is still an impressive record.
On a less positive note, Armin Papperger said this artillery system saw multiple challenges with organization of repairs. These problems have been known since last year: the howitzers were used so intensively that 50% of the PzH 2000 park was always in repair.
Earlier soldiers of the 43rd Artillery Brigade highlighted that in good weather conditions, Panzerhaubitze 2000 showed exceptional effectiveness: it is fast and maneuverable, can quickly leave the firing spot after shooting to avoid backfire.
At the same time, this artillery system has very sensitive electronics and requires tidiness to the point the vehicles were called off because there was a chance they would get stuck in muddy soil during russian shelling.
Read more: Pitfalls in Repair of PzH 2000 for Ukraine: One Howitzer Sacrificed to Refit the Others
