Ukraine’s Battle-Tested Bohdana Howitzers Set for Polish Production as Defense Firms Join Forces

Ukraine’s combat-tested Bohdana 155mm self-propelled howitzers are moving closer to production in Poland after two Polish defense companies agreed to cooperate on manufacturing the artillery systems, potentially expanding their availability across European markets.

According to Militarnyi on November 3, Polish companies PK MIL and SZCZĘŚNIAK Pojazdy Specjalne signed a memorandum of understanding to develop and adapt wheeled platforms for the Ukrainian-designed howitzers.

The agreement, signed on September 11 during the MSPO defense exhibition in Kielce, assigns PK MIL responsibility for the artillery systems, while SZCZĘŚNIAK will handle vehicle chassis integration and adaptation to military requirements.

The Bohdana, developed by Ukraine’s Kramatorsk Heavy Machine Tool Plant, has been widely deployed by Ukrainian forces against Russian troops during the full-scale invasion. The companies have not disclosed a production timeline, investment figures, or which chassis will be used for the Polish-built version.

The partnership will also cover maintenance, repairs, and technical support for future operators.

“Therefore, from the outset, we assume that the future cooperation between both companies would also include implementing solutions to enable maintenance, repair, and operational support for these vehicles with their end users,” said Marek Warzecha, chairman of PK MIL’s management board.

Ukraine has already developed several Bohdana configurations to accommodate different vehicle platforms. As of January 2026, the howitzer was being assembled on four types of wheeled chassis, helping manufacturers diversify supplies and maintain production.

The latest agreement builds on a Polish-Ukrainian joint venture established in March 2026 by Poland’s PONAR Wadowice and Ukraine’s Kramatorsk Heavy Machine Tool Plant.

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The resulting company, PK MIL, is 51% Polish-owned and plans to manufacture both the self-propelled Bohdana and its towed variant, the Bohdana-BG. The project could also open export opportunities, with Poland and other European countries considered potential customers.

According to Militarnyi, Ukraine had manufactured more than 600 Bohdana artillery systems by March 2026. The 155mm howitzer can strike targets at distances of up to 50 kilometers (31 miles), depending on ammunition.

Meanwhile, Germany is financing the production of 200 Marta self-propelled howitzers, a new variant of Ukraine’s Bohdana mounted on a Mercedes-Benz Zetros chassis. The €750 million ($870 million) project, announced in December 2025, is part of broader efforts to expand Ukrainian artillery production with European support.

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