Poland has transferred AHS Krab self-propelled artillery units (ACS) to Ukraine. Foreign components are used in the design of the Polish machine. In the publication of the Rossiyskaya Gazeta, the self-propelled howitzer was called problematic.
It is noted that initially the car with a turret from the AS-90 ACS was planned to be built on the Polish UPG-NG chassis with the S-12U engine, but defects were found in the platform. Due to poor-quality materials, microcracks appeared in the chassis housing, and the engine received an inefficient cooling system. Later, the company that produced S-12U engines closed.
The Polish engine was planned to be replaced with a German analog, but the dimensions of the engine and transmission compartment did not allow the installation of a new power unit.
After that, Poland decided to purchase a foreign-made chassis. In 2014, the chassis of the South Korean self-propelled gun K9 Thunder was chosen for the Krab. The Polish version is equipped with an auxiliary power plant and additional systems.
The AS-90 self-propelled gun turret received a 155 mm caliber gun with a semi-automatic loading system that provides a rate of fire of up to six rounds per minute. The maximum firing range of the Krab is 40 kilometers.
Earlier, Polskie Radio, citing a source in government circles, reported that Poland had transferred 18 ASH Krab self-propelled guns to Ukraine.
Earlier in May, French CAESAR self-propelled artillery units on a wheeled chassis were spotted in Ukraine.
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