Industry
Poland Sells Its Krab Howitzers to Ukraine: A Record-Breaking Contract
Photo. senior staff chor. Arkadiusz Dwulatek/CCDORSZ
Poland reportedly sold 3 Krab sph squadrons (9 batteries, 54 vehicles, and an unspecified quantity of support assets) to Ukraine, dziennik.pl reports. This is a record-breaking contract for the Polish defence industry.
According to Dziennik.pl, the contract has a value of around 3 bn. zlotys. The information released by the Polish outlet suggests that the first 18 howitzers (one, three-battery squadron) already transferred are not covered under this contract, and they were indeed provided to Poland’s neighbour as a gift. It seems that Ukraine expressed reciprocity, procuring another three squadrons (54 guns), at a market price.
The Krab howitzers are manufactured at the HSW S.A. facility belonging to the PGZ Group. The maximum manufacturing output is defined as 20 to 30 examples per annum. So far, the Polish military has been receiving 8 to 16 Krab howitzers per year. According to Dziennik.pl, the order is to be completed over a few, up to several months. It seems that 54 howitzers would come in as factory new ones. Contrary to the first 18 - it seems that these came out of the Polish Army’s stock, being delivered ASAP.
Therefore, it can be said that Ukraine has become the first export customer procuring the Krab. Notably, Kyiv had been interested in that acquisition long before the Russian invasion that happened in February this year.
Artillery today has become one of the primary assets in Ukraine. Krab, meanwhile, can utilize the NATO-standard 155 mm munitions.