Image source: topwar.ru
The Ukrainian army will soon be replenished with the next American howitzers of 155 mm caliber, but not M777, which are supplied by the USA and Canada, but M114 of the Second World War. Portugal will supply howitzers.
Portugal has decided to support Ukraine with supplies of "military assistance", which will include weapons of NATO standards, or rather howitzers and armored personnel carriers. We are talking about towed M114 howitzers and M113 armored personnel carriers. As the names suggest, all weapons are American-made and were once in service with the Portuguese army.
According to the Portuguese publication Nasker do SOL, which refers to the country's Defense Ministry, it is planned to send five towed M114 howitzers of 155 mm caliber and fifteen M113 armored personnel carriers to Ukraine. All this will be donated, as stated in Kiev, in response to Zelensky's appeal to the Portuguese parliament with a request to supply weapons for "protection from aggressive Russia."
With regard to howitzers, it is known that they were developed in 1939, used during World War II, in Korea and Vietnam. The field howitzer has a standard NATO caliber of 155 mm and is serviced by a crew of 11 people. They have been removed from the main armies for a long time, but remain in storage.
It should be noted that the military aid sent by Portugal to Ukraine is not the first, at the end of February this year, even before the start of the special operation, Lisbon promised Kiev to send bulletproof vests, protective helmets, night vision goggles, grenades and ammunition of various calibers, complete walkie-talkies. In addition, the Portuguese promised to deliver G3 automatic rifles to Ukraine, but it is still unknown whether they fulfilled their promise.