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Ukraine’s Bohdana Self-Propelled Howitzer to Be Produced in Poland
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A joint Polish-Ukrainian company named PK MIL SA is preparing to start manufacturing Bohdana self-propelled howitzers in Poland.
The Bohdana is a 155 mm artillery system developed in Ukraine, and has already gained recognition on the battlefield in Ukraine, according to BUSINESS INSIDER on March 5.
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The company was established last October by the Polish firm Ponar Wadowice and the Kramatorsk Heavy Machine Tool Building Plant. Currently, the venture is completing the necessary legal steps to begin production activities in Poland. Ponar Wadowice holds a 51% stake in the joint enterprise.
The Bohdana was originally designed in Ukraine to modernize artillery systems and meet NATO standards.
Production of the system increased significantly following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Since that time, more than 600 units have been manufactured and have fired over 800,000 rounds.
“Production in Poland opens up the possibility for the Bohdana to be exported to other countries, which cannot be done in the case of equipment produced in Ukraine,” the report states.
Ponar Wadowice has previous experience making parts for the defense industry, including hydraulic systems for Krab howitzers and Borsuk infantry fighting vehicles. The Polish company is expected to manufacture key components for the Bohdana system. The company intends to offer the howitzers to the Polish military as well as international buyers.
Poland currently operates older 152 mm Dana howitzers from the Soviet era. There were previous plans to replace them with a modern system under the Kryl program, but that project was put on hold.
Jacek Zygmunt, an advisor to the board of Ponar Wadowice, stated that “Bohdana is an ideal candidate to replace this equipment. It is significantly cheaper than competing systems and at the same time meets NATO requirements.”
The company plans to offer a competitive price by using the experience of Ukrainian partners and improving production methods. This pricing strategy is intended to attract potential buyers.
Zygmunt also mentioned that the system is already drawing interest from various parts of the world, particularly in Europe and along NATO’s eastern flank.
Earlier, the Bohdana self-propelled howitzer became a prime example of how Ukraine adapted to wartime demands by combining its own ingenuity with international support.
In just three years, it grew into the world’s fastest-produced artillery system. At the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukraine had only a few prototypes of the indigenously developed system, but they were immediately sent into battle and played a key role in the liberation of Zmiinyi Island .
As the system was battle-tested on the front lines, production was rushed to meet the massive scale of the war, eventually surpassing the output of other countries by manufacturing more than 30 units monthly.
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