Polish defense firm Ponar Wadowice and Ukraine’s Kramatorsk Machine-Building Plant (NKMZ) have established a joint venture to manufacture the Bohdana 155-millimeter self-propelled howitzer and its towed variant in Poland. The partnership aims to supply the Ukrainian-designed artillery system to the Polish armed forces as well as to international customers. Export opportunities for the system from Ukraine have been limited due to wartime production priorities, making the Polish manufacturing partnership an important step in expanding availability to allied countries. Poland currently operates the Soviet-era 152-millimeter Dana self-propelled howitzer, while the planned modernization program known as Kryl remains suspended. The introduction of the Bohdana system could help address this capability gap and provide Poland with a modern artillery platform compatible with NATO standards. Other NATO countries along the alliance’s eastern flank may also show interest in acquiring the system as they continue to strengthen their artillery capabilities. The Bohdana artillery system first entered operational service in May 2022 and gained recognition for its role in helping Ukrainian forces drive Russian troops from Snake Island. Serial production began in January 2023, and by the end of that year approximately 30 units had been delivered to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Since then, the platform has become a central component of Ukraine’s artillery forces and continues to evolve based on operational lessons learned on the battlefield. New variants of the system are reportedly introduced roughly every six months. Overall production across all versions is estimated to have reached around 600 units, with manufacturing rates climbing to approximately 40 guns per month by 2025. The wheeled artillery platform, developed by NKMZ, is operated by a five-person crew and fires NATO-standard 155-millimeter ammunition. It can strike targets at distances of up to 42 kilometers using standard shells and up to 50 kilometers with rocket-assisted rounds.
