Bohdana vs. M777: Ukrainian Crews Say Homegrown Howitzer Holds Its Own in Combat

Ukrainian gunners from the 40th Separate Artillery Brigade shared technical details of the domestically produced 155mm towed howitzer 2P22 “Bohdana-B” and compared it to the US-made M777, saying the two systems are broadly similar in capability thanks largely to the common NATO 155mm standard, according to Ukrainian military defense media ArmyInform on October 13.

The Bohdana-B, built by the Kramatorsk Heavy Machine-Tool Plant (part of NAUDI), is a straightforward, rugged towed system that the brigade says is easy to operate.

The crew reported a combat weight of about 9.5 tonnes and a maximum effective range of roughly 28–30 kilometers, depending on ammunition. The gun can fire a range of warheads—high-explosive, fragmentation, and cluster—and uses the same 155mm rounds, charges, and primers as NATO systems.

“Main thing is a trained crew and coordinated drill,” said Vasyl, a senior soldier and gun commander who has served seven years in artillery. “I worked on the M777 earlier—there’s not a big difference. The shells, charges, primers are the same—‘NATO’ standard.”

Corroborating Vasyl, Yevhen, the battery’s senior sergeant, emphasized the practical uses seen on the front: counterbattery work, strikes on infantry, mortar pits, and fortifications.

“It shoots accurately out to 28–30 km. We mostly use fragmentation rounds against enemy infantry, dug-ins, and equipment. Depending on the target, we switch to cluster, high-explosive, or fragmentation,” he said.

Soldiers also highlighted the operational benefits of a homegrown gun.

“I like our Bohdana-B—first, because it’s ours, and second, nobody tells us whether we’ll get spares or not. It’s produced here,” Yevhen said.

Loader Serhii—who worked as a firefighter before mobilization in 2022—stressed speed and teamwork. “My job is simple: the commander calls the charge number, I feed it, then the crew loads and fires. Speed helps our infantry,” he said.

Ukrainian defense media Defense Express noted that the Bohdana-B’s range is slightly below the brigade’s tracked/self-propelled Bohdana variants, which is typical for towed systems and depends heavily on ammunition types.

Observers point out that moving to 155mm as a standard—away from Soviet 152mm calibers—offers clear logistical and interoperability advantages since it lets Ukrainian units use the same NATO stocks of shells and charges.

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The brigade’s use of the Bohdana-B underlines the growing role of Ukraine’s domestic defense industry. Reported production rates for Ukrainian artillery have reached roughly 40 units per month, a sign that local industry is steadily contributing to frontline needs.

Earlier, Ukraine and Denmark announced a landmark defense deal that will see Ukrainian weapons produced on Danish soil—a move Kyiv says will speed up arms deliveries and strengthen Europe’s security.

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