Slovakia offers to sell Zuzana 2 155mm 8x8 howitzers to Ukraine.

According to information published by the "DennikN" website on April 7, 2022, the Government of Slovakia offers to sell Zuzana 2 155mm wheeled self-propelled howitzers to Ukraine.
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ZUZANA 2 155mm wheeled self-propelled howitzer. (Picture source Slovak MoD)

Citing information from the "DennikN" website, Ukraine is currently negotiating with Slovakia for the purchase of the Zuzana 2 155mm wheeled self-propelled howitzer. This artillery system was developed by the Slovak company Konstrukta Defence and produced by the Slovak company ZTS Defense.

In December 2018, Army Recognition reported that the Slovak government had approved the purchase of 25 Zuzana 2 155mm wheeled self-propelled howitzers for a total amount of €175 million. In April 2018, it was announced that the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic are planning to get 25 Zuzana 2 155 mm self-propelled howitzers (SPH) based on the Cold War-era Dana SPH, according to a statement published by the country's Ministry of Defense (MoD).

The Zuzana 2 is an upgraded version of the Zuzana 155 mm 45 caliber version of the Dana 152 mm 8x8 wheeled self-propelled howitzer. Dana or Zuzana wheeled howitzers are in service with Azerbaijan, Czech Republic, Libya, Poland, Slovakia, Georgia, Cyprus, and Ukraine.

In November 2020, the Armed Forces of Ukraine awarded the Czech company Excalibur Army a contract for the supply of 26 DANA M2 self-propelled howitzers. The DANA M2 is a modernized version of the previous DANA featuring a new armored cabin and an NBC (Nuclear, Bacteriologic, and Chemical) protection system. The howitzer is also equipped with a powerful Onboard Control System which contains subsystems of diagnostics, navigation, automatic gun aiming, computerized firing control elements, and a new ammunition selection system.

The ZUZANA 2 is based on 8x8 truck chassis developed by the Czech company Tatra. The vehicle is motorized with a TATRA T-3B-928.70 8 cylinders in V turbocharged diesel engine, developing 442 hp coupled to a TATRA gearbox TATRA 10 TS 180. The design of the howitzer is similar to the Czech DANA and the previous version of the ZUZANA with a turret mounted in the middle of the truck chassis divided into two parts. The left cabin houses the gunner and loader operator while the ammunition handler is in the right cabin.

The main armament of the Zuzana 8x8 wheeled self-propelled howitzer consists of one 155mm/52 caliber gun. The gun has a maximum firing range of 41 km with extended range ammunition. This artillery vehicle is fitted with an automatic loading system that enables a maximum firing range in automatic mode of 5 rounds per minute or 5 rounds in one minute.