With the aim of boosting production of Ukraine’s Bohdana howitzers, two companies have created the joint venture PK MIL SA, which will hold the license to manufacture them on Polish territory—leveraging Europe’s industrial capacity in line with the ReArm Europe plan initiatives. Specifically, the companies involved are PONAR Wadowice SA and Kramatorskie Zakłady Budowy Ciężkich Obrabiarek (KZVV), which have been working since last October to secure the relevant permits needed to begin manufacturing these systems.
Adding some relevant detail, PONAR Wadowice SA is a major Polish industrial player specializing in hydraulic systems across both the defense and civilian sectors, while Kramatorskie Zakłady Budowy Ciężkich Obrabiarek (KZVV) is a Ukrainian company focused on heavy machinery, including artillery systems. It is also known that the former will hold 51% of the shares in the new joint venture, which—given its location—would allow the Bohdana system to be exported to other potential international customers, especially within Europe.
As stated in an official communication from PONAR Wadowice: “The company’s goal is to produce 155 mm NATO-standard artillery systems, including the Bohdana self-propelled howitzer and the Bohdana-BG towed howitzer. The project will be implemented by leveraging European production capabilities and close industrial cooperation between Poland and Ukraine (…) The creation of PK MIL SA is a response to growing demand for proven, reliable, and scalable artillery systems. The new company will make it possible to increase production capacity, shorten supply chains, and coordinate defense-sector activities more effectively.”
It is useful to recall at this point that the Bohdana self-propelled howitzers already have a substantial service record in the war Ukraine has been fighting against Russia since 2022, becoming one of Ukraine’s flagship efforts to modernize and align its forces with NATO standards. According to local reports, more than 600 howitzers have been produced so far, while more than 800,000 rounds have reportedly been fired—an overall figure that, while it may be symbolic, reflects the system’s heavy use on the battlefield. Some units were even financed using funds provided by Kyiv’s European allies.
On the other hand, regarding potential customers for the Bohdana howitzers, reports published so far point to the Polish Army as one of the leading candidates to acquire them in order to replace its older 152 mm Dana models—something suggested by PONAR advisers when queried by the media. One of them, adviser Jacek Zygmunt, stated: “Our system is attracting interest in several regions of the world, including Europe, especially on NATO’s eastern flank.” It is also reasonable to assume that production will be intended to replenish Ukrainian Armed Forces inventories as well, although no further details have been provided on that point.
Finally, briefly reviewing some of the platform’s key characteristics, it is a 155 mm howitzer capable of firing up to five rounds per minute and compatible with various NATO ammunition types, including models such as the M107 high-explosive round (for targets out to 42 kilometers), the M795, and the M982 Excalibur, among others. In its self-propelled variant, it is mounted on a truck featuring an armored cab designed to withstand small-arms fire and shell fragments, while also providing the flexibility to move at speeds of up to 80 km/h and cover distances of up to 800 km on roads.
Images used for illustrative purposes.
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