TSAMTO, June 6. According to information published on June 1 on the website of the Belgian National Television RTBF, the Belgian private company Flanders Technical Supply (FTS) supplied Ukraine with 64 units of 155-mm SG M-109A4, which it acquired from the Belgian Armed Forces in 2015.
As reported by Armyrecognition.com, in 2008, the Belgian Armed Forces decommissioned 64 M-109A4BE howitzers. In 2015, at least some of them, including spare parts, were sold for 1.75 million euros to the Belgian private company Flanders Technical Supply (FTS), which specializes in the purchase of military equipment around the world.
As Belgian Defense Minister Ludivine Dedonder stated in parliament on June 1, the military department planned to transfer howitzers to Ukraine and began negotiations on this with the FTS. However, the company has probably already sold them on its own. "We don't need to know who she sold them to and for how much," the minister told the deputies who asked questions.
Thus, the sale of howitzers by a private company saved the Belgian government from internal disputes over the supply of heavy equipment to Ukraine. Nevertheless, according to experts, these disputes are brewing, since there are different opinions in Belgium regarding the support of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and supporters of the supply of heavy equipment are becoming more active.
The 155-mm self-propelled howitzers M-109A2/A3, which were withdrawn from service with the Belgian Armed Forces in 2008, were recently upgraded to the M-109A4 BE standard as part of the MLU M-109 program. Thus, the Armed Forces of Ukraine will receive fairly modern 155-mm self-propelled howitzers.
The SG M-109A4 BE is equipped with a semi-automatic loading system, a 1.2 kW diesel generator, new racks for storing ammunition, improved hydraulic drives, and an improved WMD protection system.
The combat weight of the M-109A4 BE is 24948 kg, length is 9.12 m, width is 3.15 m, height is 3.28 m. The howitzer is equipped with a Detroit 8V–71 diesel engine, aggregated with an Allison transmission of the XTG411 series. The maximum speed on the highway is 64 km/h, the power reserve is 350 km. The installation crew consists of six people, including two loaders, a gunner, a gunner's assistant, a commander and a driver. The howitzer is equipped with a 155-mm gun with a length of 39 calibers. The firing range is from 18.5 to 23.5 km, the maximum rate of fire is 6 shots. /min.
