Ukraine to receive 60 US-made M110A2 203 mm self-propelled howitzers from Greece.

Greece has reportedly approved the transfer of 60 US-made M110A2 203 mm self-propelled howitzers, 150,000 artillery shells, and Zuni rockets worth about €199.4 million to Ukraine through Czechia.

According to EfSyn on September 30, 2025, the Greek government is proceeding with a €199.4 million defense transfer to Ukraine under an agreement routed through Czechia. The package includes 60 U.S.-made M110A2 203 mm self-propelled howitzers, 150,000 shells of several types, and thousands of Zuni rockets from Greek military reserves. All systems will be supplied in their current condition without refurbishment, and proceeds will be directed to modernization programs of the Hellenic Ministry of National Defence.
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Introduced into the Hellenic Army arsenal in the late 1960s, the M110A2 remains one of the oldest but also most powerful howitzers at the disposal of the Greek artillery units. (Picture source: US Army)

The Greek government is advancing a defense transfer valued at approximately €199.4 million to Ukraine, routed through Czechia under an intergovernmental arrangement. The package includes 60 American-made M110A2 self-propelled howitzers of 203 mm caliber, 150,000 shells of different types, and several thousand Zuni rockets in 70 mm and 127 mm calibers. The equipment, coming from the Hellenic Army and Air Force reserves, has been categorized as non-operationally necessary by the Hellenic National Defence General Staff because it no longer meets Greece’s operational standards. The systems will be supplied in their current condition, without refurbishment or modernization, following the “where is, as is” principle. The Ministry of National Defence expects the funds generated to be reinvested into new armaments and modernization programs. Greek officials emphasize that this transaction will not reduce the nation’s defense readiness, while the Czech Republic will act as the logistical intermediary coordinating delivery to Ukraine.

The plan was discussed in a recent session of the parliamentary Standing Committee on Armaments and Contracts, attended by Deputy Defense Minister Athanasios Davakis and senior officers of the armed forces. Members of the governing party supported the Defense Ministry’s proposal, while opposition members expressed reservations regarding the removal of artillery from the eastern Aegean islands and the shipment of weapons to an active war zone. The Council of Chiefs of the General Staff classified the howitzers and ammunition as outdated systems not required by the armed forces. The export proposal is pending final approval from the Government Council for National Security (KYSEA), chaired by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. Once confirmed, the transfer will proceed under the bilateral framework between Athens and Prague that governs the supply of military equipment to Ukraine. The overall process will ensure accountability of stock disposition and the allocation of proceeds toward procurement priorities set by the Hellenic Ministry of Defence.

Greece has operated the M110A2 since the early 1980s and holds approximately 145 units, making it one of the last NATO members with this artillery unit in storage. The system, originally created for the US Army, served as Greece’s long-range heavy artillery solution for decades, performing general support, counter-battery, and area-suppression missions. Over time, the Hellenic Army shifted to NATO-standard 155 mm systems that offer higher automation and compatibility with alliance logistics, relegating the 203 mm M110A2s to secondary roles. The designation of these weapons as non-operationally necessary followed an assessment that their maintenance requirements, crew size, and logistical demands were disproportionate compared to more modern alternatives. However, the artillery pieces are still capable of delivering high-caliber fire, which explains their potential operational relevance for Ukraine. The divestment decision allows Greece to reduce sustainment burdens and recover financial value from long-retired assets.

The M110A2 itself represents the final evolution of the American M110 howitzer, developed from the 1960s M115 towed howitzer and later self-propelled variants. It integrates the M201A1 (a 203 mm gun) on a tracked chassis and introduces a double-baffle muzzle brake, longer barrel, and recoil improvements that enable the use of higher-pressure propellant charges. The M110A2 has a combat weight of around 28 tonnes and is powered by a Detroit Diesel 8V71T turbocharged engine producing 405 horsepower, allowing maximum road speeds of approximately 55 km/h. Armor protection is limited to light steel plates designed to protect against fragments and small-arms fire. The system can traverse 30 degrees left or right of the centerline, with cannon elevation reaching up to 65 degrees, 5 more than the Soviet 2S7 Pion. Its simplicity of mechanical systems and reliance on manual operation make it maintainable despite age, but less efficient compared to automated modern systems.

The M110A2 can fire three rounds every two minutes in rapid mode and one round per minute in sustained mode. Each projectile weighs roughly 90 kilograms and requires separate loading of shell and propellant, a process that necessitates a 13-person crew supported by external ammunition vehicles. Standard projectiles achieve ranges between 16.8 and 25 kilometers, while M650 rocket-assisted shells reach up to 29–30 kilometers. The system’s design favors range and payload rather than speed or protection, which made it effective in fixed fire-support roles during its service life. The cannon has an estimated barrel life of 7,500 effective full-charge rounds, with recoil mechanisms and hydraulic elevation systems designed to handle the stress of repeated heavy firing. Furthermore, the M110A2’s performance parameters were defined to provide reliable heavy fire in environments where precision was secondary to saturation fire effects.

The M110 and M110A2 participated in multiple conflicts, such as the Vietnam War, the Yom Kippur War, the Iran–Iraq War, the 1982 Lebanon War, and the Gulf War. By the early 1990s, most NATO users replaced it with M109 155 mm self-propelled howitzers or M270 multiple launch rocket systems. Greece, South Korea, Taiwan, Pakistan, and Jordan retained the M110A2 longer, primarily for coastal or reserve defense duties, as the gun’s hydraulically operated rammer and recoil mechanism allow firing of heavy ordnance with consistent accuracy, while its double-baffle muzzle brake reduces recoil force significantly. Although technologically dated, the M110A2’s combination of range, shell mass, and destructive power continues to offer practical battlefield utility when integrated into command-and-control systems that compensate for its manual fire-control methods.

For Ukraine, the arrival of the M110A2 self-propelled howitzers would expand the 203 mm artillery capacity already maintained through Soviet-designed 2S7 Pion and 2S7M Malka systems. Both Ukrainian and Russian forces rely heavily on large-caliber artillery for counter-battery engagements, and the M110A2’s ammunition compatibility allows Ukraine to integrate Western-manufactured shells. The Greek transfer includes 50,000 M106 high-explosive shells, 40,000 M650 HERA rocket-assisted shells, 30,000 M404 ICM cluster rounds, and 30,000 M509A1 DPICM dual-purpose cluster rounds. The M106 shell provides a range of up to 21 kilometers with blast and fragmentation effects, while the M650 HERA extends range to about 30 kilometers using rocket propulsion. Each M404 projectile disperses 104 M43 fragmentation bomblets, and each M509A1 releases 180 M42 dual-purpose submunitions capable of limited anti-armor and anti-personnel effects. Greece is not a signatory to the Convention on Cluster Munitions, enabling the inclusion of such ammunition within the transaction framework.

The decision to deliver the weapons through Czechia ensures compliance with European export coordination procedures. The equipment will be delivered directly from Greek storage facilities to the Czech intermediary, which will oversee final transfer to Ukraine under existing European Union and NATO facilitation mechanisms. The Defense Ministry stated that the sale will not affect Greece’s defense posture and that all proceeds will be directed toward the modernization of artillery and air defense assets. The equipment, including howitzers and ammunition, will be handed over in their current state, reflecting their long-term storage condition. This method expedites delivery without diverting resources from active service units. Parallel discussions within NATO include suggestions that Greece could, in the future, consider transferring its Mirage 2000-5 multirole fighter jets to Ukraine, potentially in exchange for accelerated deliveries of Rafale fighters by France, although this matter remains separate from the current artillery transaction.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.