An M109L battery of the Iralian 52th Regiment firing, October 30, 2007. By Wikimedia user Totonninix.
Italy supplied “20 to 30” M109L 155 mm self-propelled howitzers to Kiev forces as part of its fifth military aid package to Ukraine, the La Repubblica newspaper reported on October 30.
The M109L is an Italian-made development of the American M109 howitzer. The M109L was upgraded with a 39 caliber long-barrel gun to replace the original 23 caliber barrel of the American M109. The new gun can fire the same projectiles as the Italian FH-70 howitzer. It has range of 24 kilometers with L15 HE projectiles, or up to 30 kilometers with assisted ammunition.
Just a few days before the report, photos showing a number of M109L howitzers on the move in northern Italy surfaced online.
Click to see full-size image. Via Twitter.
Click to see full-size image. Via Twitter.
The La Repubblica revealed that previous Italian military aid packages to Ukraine included an unknown number of M113 armored personnel carriers, six PzH 2000 155 mm self-propelled howitzers and two multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS).
“This is a significant contribution, first of all, from a technological point of view, as two of the most powerful and modern combat systems currently available were transferred. These include the PzH 2000 ACS and MLRS, which allowed Ukrainian troops to surpass the Russian artillery,” the newspaper said.
The PzH 2000 has a maximum range of 30–36 kilometers with the standard DM121 Boattail round, about 40–47 kilometers with base bleed rounds, and 67 kilometers with M2005 V-LAP assisted projectiles. It can also fire the SMArt 155 shell which carries two anti-tank submunitions with infrared sensor and millimeter wave radar.
Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum Source: Italian Army PzH 2000, Trident Juncture 15.
The specific kind of Italian MLRS supplied to Ukraine is unknown, but it is likely the American M270. At least 22 such systems are said to be in service with the Italian military, part of which were upgraded to launch precision-guided GMLRS rockets with a range of more than 70 kilometers.
An Italian M270 MLRS. Source: the Italian Ministry of Defense.
In the last few months, Kiev forces received dozens of similar howitzers and rocket systems from the United States and several other NATO members. At least some of these weapons have been already destroyed or damaged by the Russian military.
The NATO has been working to prolong the war in Ukraine on the hopes of preventing Russia from achieving the goals of its special military operation in the country. Ukraine continues to pay a heavy cost for this strategy.
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