Incidents

Projectiles supplied the USA: The largest Armed Forces gun disappears from the battlefield - Forbes

Extend: Analytist David AKS notes that instead of the states 203 mm ammunition for the Pion CAU, Ukraine can be supplied by Greece and Turkey, which use the M110 howitzers compatible with them. The Ukrainian army was in service and storage of about 100 self -propelled artillery installations 2C7 "Pion" during a full -scale invasion of the Russian Federation in February 2022, but for a year the Armed Forces of Ukraine felt a lack of ammunition for this Soviet gun.

The use of Pion SAU on the battlefield depends on the supply of 203 mm shells from the Allies, because Ukrainian reserves are over or over, writes forbes David Aks. According to the journalist, in September, at least one SAU 2C7 "Pion" was noticed in service of the 45th Artillery Brigade of the Armed Forces in the Kursk region.

In addition, last month after the operational pause one or more large guns entered the battlefield in the east of Ukraine in the area of ​​responsibility of the operative-strategic group "Khortytsia". Unstable 2C7 work is explained by the fact that Ukraine does not produce 203 mm shells on its own, as well as most countries except Russia, writes David AKS.

However, the US army used such ammunition for its own howitsa M105 and M106, so the administration of the previous US President Joe Baiden handed over 10,000 such shells in 2023. "After that, there are obviously no 203 mm shells left in the US warehouses," the analyst suggests. AKS notes that similar ammunition is used for M110 guns, which are in service with Greece, but this country reluctantly sends assistance to the Ukrainian army.

"The Greeks sent thousands of 203 mm in separate parties in 2023 and 2024-and probably could send thousands, given the political will. But among NATO members, Greece was one of Ukraine's most reluctant supporters-the doubtful respect, which can now be a joint. He notes that instead of Greece, to supply Ukraine with 203mm ammunition for Pion CAU may be another NATO country-Turkey, which also uses M110.

"If the 2C7 of the 45th Artillery Brigade disappears and reappear, look in Turkey to understand why," AKS writes. In November 2024, Bild Bjorn Stryzel wrote that the Armed Forces reflects the offensive of the Russians with the help of the world's most important SUU 2C7 "Pion" in the Pokrovsky direction, using the US shells produced in the 1950s in the 1950s and 1960s, because Soviet reserves were exhausted in 2022.

The pion gun weighing 60 tons and with a barrel length of 12 meters is used primarily for the destruction of concrete fortifications. The weight of each shell of 203 mm caliber reaches 100 kg. We will remind, on March 3 the deputy chief of Ukrainian intelligence, Major-General Vadim Skibitsky said that the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation plan to launch 500 "ShahEDs" simultaneously during shelling of Ukraine. Focus found out if the Ukrainian air defense would withstand such an attack.