This was reported by the American newspaper The New York Times (NYT). howitzers supplied to Ukraine by Western countries often fail due to the very high intensity of their use. According to the publication, this has become a serious problem for NATO countries and its solution special facilities have been created in Poland for the repair and maintenance of this military equipment.
The authors of the publication write, citing American and Ukrainian sources, that about a third of the 350 western howitzers supplied to Kiev are permanently inoperative.
According to the newspaper the Ukrainian army now uses between 2,000 and 4,000 shells per day and the Russian army often fires even more artillery shells. Such rates lead to rapid wear of howitzers (the publication specifically mentions the M-777 systems supplied to Ukraine by the United States), they lose accuracy and firing range, and their barrels have to be replaced.
On the battlefield, this is impossible, so the howitzers are sent to Poland for repair. Representatives of NATO refuse to comment on the data of this program, but confirm that Western countries are doing everything possible to keep Ukrainian weapons combat-ready.
The wear and tear on M-777 howitzers can be explained in part by the peculiarities of their construction, according to the New York Times. They are made mainly of titanium – this material is much lighter than steel, but is not inferior to it in terms of strength. Such artillery is much easier to move and prepare for battle.
However, when the United States used these howitzers during the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan in the early 2000s, the number of shots fired and the intensity of the war were generally much lower than in Ukraine, the paper said.
The publication mentions it The Pentagon has sent 142 M-777 howitzers to Ukraine, enough to equip eight battalions. This artillery uses Western-type 155mm shells, which were also supplied to Kiev by Western countries.
