The Danish government will fund the production of 18 Ukrainian 2S22 Bohdana wheeled howitzers to be put into service with the Defense Forces.

The Ministry of Defense of Denmark announced this.

The Ministry of Defense said that the government has paid to produce a division of 18 Bohdana self-propelled howitzers for Ukraine, which will be transferred to the Ukrainian military “within the coming months.”

The choice of this particular artillery system as military aid was made by representatives of Denmark based on an official recommendation from the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Strategic Industries of Ukraine.

In April of this year, Troels Lund Poulsen, Minister of Defense, initiated cooperation with Ukraine and placed orders for the production of weapons directly with the Ukrainian defense industry.

“When I was in Ukraine this spring to visit a number of defense companies, I saw the opportunities to support Ukraine by purchasing directly through the Ukrainian defense industry. In this way, we ensure that the equipment that Ukrainians need on the front line can be manufactured and delivered nearby. This provides some obvious logistical advantages while helping build up Ukraine’s defense industry. This is where Ukrainian-made artillery systems play a central role as a pilot project,” Poulsen said.

Denmark’s order of Ukrainian-made heavy weapons for the needs of the Ukrainian Defense Forces was the first such precedent. This was part of an official agreement between the two countries on defense cooperation signed in June this year.

“I hope that more countries will choose the Danish procurement model in Ukraine. The capabilities of Ukrainians to produce equipment are greater than the funding they have now. Therefore, there is a great potential for such agreements to produce more equipment in Ukraine and at the same time help build up the defense industry in Ukraine,” Poulsen noted.

According to official statements, in May of this year, the Ukrainian defense industry reached the production rate of 10 Bohdana self-propelled howitzers per month.

“The state enters into serious, long-term contracts with our enterprises, which provide predictability, the ability to recruit people and attract investment. This month, our industry is producing 10 Bohdanas for the first time, and in May and beyond – even more,” President Zelensky reported on April 18.

The latest versions of the 155 mm wheeled howitzers come with a shell loader. The chassis is currently based on Tatra Phoenix 8×8 or Tatra T815 trucks, which are donated in Ukraine, with a Czech Puma L2 Long armored cabin.

Last December, it was reported that the Ukrainian defense industry was developing a trailer version of the 155 mm Bohdana howitzer.