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- War in Ukraine
Ukraine’s Iconic Bohdanas Make It the Fastest Howitzer Producer in the World
The Bohdana self-propelled howitzer is a prime example of how Ukraine has adapted to wartime demands by combining its own ingenuity with international support. In just three years, it has become the world’s fastest-produced artillery system.
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![Photo of Illia Kabachynskyi]( "Photo of Illia Kabachynskyi")
-29a1a43aba23f9bb779a1ac8b98d2121.jpeg "Photo of Illia Kabachynskyi")
At the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukraine had only a few prototypes of the Bohdana—an indigenously developed system that had been in the works for years. With no alternatives, Ukraine immediately sent it into battle. The Bohdana, among other missions, played a role in the liberation of Snake Island.
Battle-tested on the front lines, the system was rushed into mass production. Faced with Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukraine had little choice.
European partners provided everything they could: France supplied CAESAR howitzers, Sweden sent Archers, Germany delivered Panzerhaubitze 2000s, along with other systems. The United States also stepped in with weapons, including HIMARS.
The challenge, however, was scale. Russia’s war is so vast—with an active frontline stretching more than 1,000 kilometers—that Ukraine needs weapons in massive quantities, produced and delivered at speed. Most artillery systems are built only in small batches, and restarting production lines takes months—time Ukraine didn’t have. The only country with large-scale capacity was South Korea with its K9 Thunder, but Seoul does not export arms to Ukraine.
This created an opening for the Bohdana, and Ukraine seized the opportunity.
Scaling up the production
Over the past two years, UNITED24 Media has repeatedly reported that Ukraine was expanding Bohdana production. It started with just a few units per month, then grew to six, ten, 15, and later 18. At one point, the country was producing more than 20 howitzers each month—already outpacing every other country’s reported production capacity.
Now Ukraine has broken its own record: it can manufacture more than 30 Bohdanas monthly. But challenges remain.
First, the chassis. Ukraine relies on both domestic and foreign designs, meaning mass production requires large deliveries. This year, agreements are expected with Korean and German suppliers, which would diversify the program and reduce dependence on current partners.
Second, funding. Ukraine’s defense budget limits its procurement capacity. Western financial support is critical for building Bohdanas in larger numbers. For example, in 2024, Denmark ordered 18 howitzers, and Ukraine delivered them within two months. The more countries help fund production, the faster Ukraine can expand output.
What can the Bohdana howitzer do?
The system’s primary strength is range: currently, it can strike targets up to 60 kilometers (37 miles) away using 155mm rounds. Production costs are roughly $2.5 million per unit — significantly cheaper than foreign equivalents, though in some cases less technologically advanced.
A new version of the Bohdana is also in development, featuring a 39-caliber gun for added flexibility in various combat missions. However, it is unclear when this upgrade will be ready.
Given chassis limitations, Ukraine has also developed a towed-artillery variant of the Bohdana. More than 100 of these have already been produced. As for the self-propelled version, 345 units have been built — making it one of the most widely produced artillery systems developed in the post-Soviet era.
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