Ukraine's Bohdana artillery system reaches France's CAESAR-level capabilities, military official says
Photo: Bogdan self-propelled gun on the front line (Getty Images)
The Bohdana self-propelled gun is already approaching the French CAESAR in terms of its characteristics. After active testing since 2022, the system is constantly being improved and now has both self-propelled and towed versions, according to Colonel Andrii Zhuravlov, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Missile Forces and Artillery Command of the Ukrainian Ground Forces.
War demands
As the interviewee noted, today's high-tech warfare requires almost daily changes and the creation of a system that can change quickly.
According to him, the Missile Forces and Artillery is not only a customer but also provides full support for the entire production process and tests the weapons and equipment that are supplied to artillery and missile forces.
"If we order the Bohdana, we work through the documentation, study the manufacturer's capabilities, and organize testing. We oversee the process all the way through its adoption into service," Zhuravlov explains.
"Once it is accepted, we study how it is used, analyze its performance, and can ask the manufacturer to make changes to improve the system," the military official adds.
Modernization of self-propelled artillery
He also stresses that today, the Ukrainian Bohdana is already approaching the French CAESAR in terms of its characteristics.
However, while CAESAR was developed over a period of about seven years and underwent various tests in different climatic conditions, at the start of the Russian-Ukrainian war in 2022, our Bohdana was only in the initial stages of development.
It was only in 2022 that the Missile Forces and Artillery began to actively test it. Moreover, the improvement of this system continues constantly: today, there is not only a self-propelled version of Bohdana, but also a towed gun, which was tested earlier this year.
"As of now, the manufacturer has already developed and tested an automated fire control and aiming system that speeds up gun laying. Testing of an automatic loader is also underway. The company is currently working on a third artillery system with a shorter barrel, 39 calibers. The current Bohdana has a 52-caliber barrel," says Zhuravlov.
Bohdana's advantages
The Ukrainian Bogdan has several advantages over foreign weapons models. First of all, it can use a wide range of ammunition, which simplifies logistics. Secondly, the gun has a fairly large barrel life, the military official added.
"And today, it is probably one of the most reliable artillery systems in terms of endurance. Its technical readiness at the front consistently reaches 80%. That means it has the highest survivability," Zhuravlov says.
According to him, as of October 2025, domestic 155-mm “Bogdan” self-propelled and towed artillery systems account for about 40% of all artillery systems used on the front line.
Bohdana self-propelled artillery system
The Bohdana self-propelled artillery system is a Ukrainian self-propelled artillery unit with a 155 mm caliber gun that meets NATO standards. It is operated by a crew of five, and the vehicle's maximum speed is 80 km/h. The system is capable of hitting targets at a distance of up to 60 km.
Development of the self-propelled gun began in 2015 at the Kramatorsk Heavy Machine Building Plant, and in 2023, it was officially adopted by the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
In the spring of 2024, Ukraine was producing up to eight Bogdan systems per month. Thanks to funding from Denmark, production reached almost 20 self-propelled guns per month in October.
