Panzerhaubitze 2000: wear and tear at the front

When defending against the Russian army, the German Panzerhaubitze 2000 is an important weapon of the Ukrainian troops. But wear and tear and lack of ammunition reduce combat effectiveness.

Well camouflaged in the grey-brown undergrowth on the outskirts of the fiercely contested town of Bakhmut stands one of the most powerful weapons that Germany has ever supplied to the Ukraine. It is a Panzerhaubitze 2000, a mobile and highly modern artillery piece, weighing around 57 tons.

The barrel of the self-propelled howitzer sticks out of the bare, leafless treetops. It points east, towards the Russian positions. The vehicle’s tracks have dug deep furrows in the heavy soil.

“We help the infantry”

Oleg runs a hand down the mud-caked side of the howitzer. He is 28 years old, wears camouflage; three cartridge magazines are stuck in the belt in front of his chest.

Oleg is a sergeant in the 43rd brigade operating this 2000 self-propelled howitzer. “We help the infantry,” he explains the task of the unit. “We destroy bunkers and command posts, but above all we fight other artillery batteries.”

Battles over many kilometers distance

These duels between enemy batteries are usually fought over a distance of many kilometers. The soldiers receive the target coordinates from reconnaissance units and drones.

According to Oleg, their self-propelled howitzer fires the grenades between 30 and 40 kilometers away, depending on the type of ammunition. This firepower gives artillery a key role in trench warfare in eastern Ukraine.

But because of its effectiveness in combat, the Panzerhaubitze 2000 is itself a desirable target for Russian troops. Especially when the soldiers reveal their position with their own shots.

Too few grenades

According to Oleg, the Panzerhaubitze 2000 has a clear advantage over older Soviet howitzers. He praises the rate of fire, responsiveness and mobility of the German weapon and thanks “German politicians” for the deliveries.

But he also observed that the self-propelled howitzer was no longer able to develop its full power. Since the summer Ukraine has received 14 Panzerhaubitzen 2000 from Germany. They have been working under constant stress for months.

They used to fire up to 220 grenades on some days, says Oleg – “but now we can’t do that anymore.” At the moment it’s still an average of 45 to 50. “We’re getting ammunition, but not enough,” he summarizes.

And lastly, the unit would have received shells that only fly 23 kilometers. This means that the self-propelled howitzer has to move closer to the Russian positions, making it easier to target itself. This robs her of her own strengths.

Susceptible to dirt and moisture

There is space for five soldiers inside the howitzer. Andrii, 29, is the gun commander. Like the entire team, he received weapon training in Germany. His jacket also comes from Bundeswehr stocks.

Because the sensitive technology is susceptible to dirt and moisture, Andrii touches his mud-encrusted boots in front of the entrance hatch. He climbs into the command seat in his socks.

Wear and tear from a lot of use

Due to the great stresses of the past few months and in particular due to the high firing rates, he observes signs of wear on the Panzerhaubitze 2000. In the meantime, the electronics often overheat during operations, he says. “Then mistakes happen,” says Andrii.

For example, the partially automated ammunition supply sometimes fails, so that the soldiers have to reload manually – and more slowly. Or the target acquisition can no longer be adjusted. “You then have to restart the machine,” says Oleg.

And the hardware also shows signs of wear: the recoil absorber, for example, was damaged the day before.

No spare parts, lots of improvisation

Olexander, a bearded, tall soldier, is responsible for repairs. He also went through a crash course in Germany. The Panzerhaubitzen 2000 have to be serviced regularly. There are also repairs.

But the repairs are difficult. “Look at the conditions here,” says Olexander, pointing to the surrounding trees, bushes and patches of mud.

“We improvise,” says Olexander. “As long as something isn’t badly bent or deformed, we’ll fix it. But there are hardly any spare parts, almost none at all.”

Some damage occurs for the first time

They are also in contact with their trainers in Germany. For difficult problems, they would send videos of the damage. But it happens that even the German mechanics don’t know a solution.

“The tank howitzer is tested here in intensive combat,” says Olexander. “We are discovering some damage to the machine here for the first time.”

He would like “a few more howitzers” so that the existing guns could be “properly repaired” – and in the meantime another gun could move into the firing position.

Hope for the counter-offensive

Despite the lack of ammunition and spare parts, Sergeant Oleg hopes that the Ukrainians will launch a new counter-offensive soon. The Panzerhaubitze 2000 should also help, as should the recently delivered 18 German Leopard 2A6 main battle tanks.

“There is nothing that does not help,” says Oleg. “Everything helps. 100 percent.”