Denmark, Copenhagen, April 14, 2023 - Earlier this year, Denmark decided to donate all of its CAESAR 8x8 155mm artillery systems to Ukraine. Now, the Ukrainians have also been trained in the use and maintenance of the system and are ready to receive the systems. The CAESAR artillery systems are expected to be delivered to Ukraine in the coming weeks.
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Danish army CAESAR 155mm 8x8 self-propelled howitzer. (Picture source Danish MoD)
With broad support from the Danish Parliament, the government decided in January to donate the Defense Forces' CAESAR 8x8 155mm artillery to Ukraine. The donation was accompanied by education and training for future Ukrainian users. The education and training have now been completed, and the Ukrainians are ready to put the system into operation.
"This is a significant and highly sought-after donation, which Ukraine is in great need of. There is no doubt that it is needed, and with the completion of the training and education, the Ukrainians can put it to use on the battlefield, where it will make a noticeable difference," says acting Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen.
Earlier this year, the government decided to donate all 19 French-produced CAESAR 8x8 artillery pieces of the Defense Forces to Ukraine. It is a newly developed artillery system that was still being implemented in the Danish defense. This meant that there were a number of technical challenges with the system, which had to be addressed in collaboration with the manufacturer and the Ukrainians.
Today, the acting Defense Minister had the opportunity to visit the last group of Ukrainians undergoing training at Oksbøl Barracks. Together with the defense settlement circle and members of the defense committee and Foreign Policy Committee, the minister had the opportunity to meet instructors and Ukrainians, which made a significant impression.
"Denmark has been an active supporter of Ukraine throughout the war, and our donations, in the words of the Ukrainians themselves, have made a significant difference. So far, Denmark has supported Ukraine militarily with approximately 6.2 billion Danish kroner ($915 million). With the newly established Ukraine Fund, we intend to maintain a high level of support for Ukraine. This should make a real and noticeable difference for the Ukrainians," says Troels Lund Poulsen.
According to our latest information, the Ukrainian Army currently operates 18 CAESAR 155mm self-propelled howitzers in a 6x6 configuration, which were donated by France. The Danish version is based on an 8x8 truck chassis.
The CAESAR 8x8 self-propelled howitzer is equipped with a 155mm/L52 52-caliber howitzer, which is comparable to the cannon mounted on the 6x6 version. The CAESAR 8x8 features a fully automated loading system, allowing for a maximum firing rate of 6 rounds per minute.
The standard 8x8 wheeled self-propelled howitzer is built on an 8x8 T-815 military truck chassis, which is designed and manufactured by the Czech company TATRA. For the Danish CAESAR, TATRA supplied the T-815 truck chassis.
