BAE Systems Awarded Contract to Maintain L119 Light Guns in Ukraine.

The UK Ministry of Defence has awarded BAE Systems a contract to maintain and repair the L119 Light Guns provided to Ukraine. Announced on April 10, 2024, during a British government-led trade mission in Kyiv, this initiative ensures that the L119s, previously donated by the UK, can be quickly serviced on Ukrainian soil and reintegrated into the frontline.
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The L119, a variant of the L118, is highly valued by Ukrainian forces for its accuracy, lightweight, ease of logistics, and mobility. (Picture source: Open Source)

The L119 Light Gun is highly valued by Ukrainian forces for its accuracy, lightweight, ease of logistics, and mobility. As the original manufacturer of the L119 and over fifteen other systems currently used in Ukraine, BAE Systems has been collaborating with allied governments since the beginning of the conflict to provide training and logistical support. In total, the British delivered 54 L119 howitzers to the Ukrainian forces.

Following a meeting with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy in 2023, BAE Systems established a subsidiary in Ukraine, opened an office, and signed agreements to better understand and meet Ukraine's capability needs and to help revitalize its industrial base.

This new contract builds on a collaboration agreement signed with the British company AMS in December. Under this agreement, BAE Systems and AMS will provide maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services from facilities within Ukraine.

Gabby Costigan, Group Managing Director of Business Development at BAE Systems, stated, "We are committed to working with our government clients and industry partners to provide solutions that will help the Ukrainian armed forces secure victory. Establishing a strategic military repair site in Ukraine will significantly reduce the downtime of critical artillery units. This contract strengthens our relationship and paves the way for more direct and long-term support to Ukraine."

The L119 is a variant of the L118, a 105 mm towed field gun designed by the Royal Armament Research and Development Establishment of the UK. Developed between 1966 and 1973 and produced from 1974 to 2016 by the Royal Ordnance Factory, which later became BAE Systems Land and Armaments, this gun has been widely adopted and used, with over 1,100 units built. In essence, the L119, as a modified version of the L118, continues to play a crucial role in modern military operations, offering armed forces a reliable and effective artillery support capability.

As the conflict in Ukraine continues, the UK government and industry must continue to support Ukrainians in maintaining their equipment. According to Major General Anna-Lee Reilly, Director of DE&S Operations at the UK Ministry of Defence, the repair operations for the L119 guns continue the British commitment to enable on-site equipment maintenance to minimize frontline downtime. The planned repair facility is scalable to offer similar capabilities for UK and other nations' systems.

BAE Systems also plays a key role in providing major elements of the UK government's cyber security support to Ukraine, helping to detect, block, and counter both destructive cyber-attacks and cyber espionage targeting both military and essential civilian infrastructures.