Video and imagery shows Ukrainian artillery crews completing their training on the AS90 155mm self-propelled gun.

This programme is part of the UK’s sustained commitment to support Ukraine in its conflict with Russia.

Training on the AS90 takes place at a specialised facility under the supervision of the Royal School of Artillery and is led by officers and soldiers from the Royal Regiment of Artillery.

Following the invasion in February 2022, the UK pledged its support to Ukraine and became the second-largest military donor, committing £2.3 billion in 2022.

The UK is the first country to donate Western main battle tanks, providing a squadron of Challenger 2 tanks with armoured recovery and repair vehicles, as well as a battery of eight AS90 guns at “high readiness” and an additional two batteries at “varying states of readiness.”

The AS90 is a modern, agile, and highly accurate artillery system that offers armoured protection to its crew while enabling them to engage targets at long distances. Ukrainian volunteer recruits receive tailored training in all aspects of operating and maintaining the AS90 system.

The backgrounds of the Ukrainian artillery soldiers reportedly vary, with some having extensive artillery experience and others having little or no military experience.

George Allison
George Allison
George has a degree in Cyber Security from Glasgow Caledonian University and has a keen interest in naval and cyber security matters and has appeared on national radio and television to discuss current events. George is on Twitter at @geoallison
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44 COMMENTS

    • It is so good according to MoD press releases yet HMG and the army have reduced the British Army’s holdings from 6 regiments worth to 2 since the mid 2000s, laying bare the stupidity of cuts to the assets and programs of the RA.

    • Is it the most modern system out there? No.
      Is it good enough for getting shells down range against Russia? Probably.
      The MOD and army sometimes seem to think if they don’t have the best thing then what they have is useless. When the poop hits the fan we all find out most items have there uses.
      Look at the maxim guns that Ukraine pulled out of a shed somewhere. They still shoot bullets and can defend an area.

          • Unknown. Those appear to be out from the big refurb plant in the FE heading west. They could be going to Russia forces, most likely, or even one of their export customers.

            If to Ukraine, most comments seem to put them as being used as 2nd echelon SPG where for most targets the effect of 100mm vs 122mm HE probably wouldn’t be that different. Its unlikely they would face a tank and would be more effective than say a BMP.

            My, uninformed of course compared to some of you here, choice is hull down as a hard points in the defensive lines that the Russians are quickly rolling out in anticipation of a UA strike.

          • Well I seem to remember you saying similar about the T62s! Look how that turned out😂 BTR 50s and now T54/55 what’s next? Mmm T 34 is about all there is!

          • I’m sure T62, Type 55s/ 54s are going to be excellent in the hull down position Vs Ukranian C2s and Leopards. If in any doubt just ask the Iraqi republican guards how hull down positioning went for them in their more modern T72s.

          • I remember those posts by him…..hang on I will dig them out and cut and paste for us all to laugh at!

          • Export customers? FFS ask India how its imports of military equipment from Nazi Russia is going! Its now not happening, due to Nazi losses and the Indians are not happy. Stop with your ever increasing desperate chuff. And be careful, saying the 55s will be used as defensive Hull down static rape points, that’s an admission your spring offensive has gone nowhere and your controller won’t be happy and will grass you up to the FSB Gestapo lads.

          • Well I’m sure you don’t comrade.How about pictures of T90/80/72 not many pictures of them either is there🙄

        • I’ve seen it. Has Putin told you to relay the fact he is threatening nuclear Armageddon on the world because a handful of UK owned tanks and SPG are heading to Ukranian ownership?
          Could you politely remind him that the UK has 4 trident armed ballistic missile armed submarines standing ready in response. Cheers matey. Hope you aren’t too cold in the Kremlin basement, do get your handler to pop out to get you a McTasty from the ex McDonald just around the corner from Red Square.

  3. I wonder if these will be ready in time. I assume they are pre-programmed prior to firing guiding the shells to their target?

    Perfect for testing on the battlefield.

    Delivery of advanced microchip prototype set for April

    LINK

    • Those new chips are being mass produced in US for US military assets first. BAE is apparently lead integrator and has been tasked with replacing legacy chip sets with these new super efficiency high-grade chip sets.
      It will take a few years before there is trickle down to rest of NATO.
      I’d imagine the US DoD is keen on not letting any of these chip sets get out to peer competitors like the Russians or Chinese.

  4. “UK is the first country to donate Western main battle tanks”

    As I remember, Poland was the first. They decided to unilaterally donate Leopard 2s and then UK went ‘oh that’s ballsy, we will help too then’ and then others warmed up to the idea of doing the same… Well that’s what all the media said at the time it happened.

    Are you now saying it was UK that led the way and built the tank coalition? 🙂 Because if so, then this is quite a huge piece of info.

    • No the U.K. was first to announce it would donate western MBTs, however training on these is ongoing.
      Poland was possibly first to actually deliver western tanks, four Leopard 2s back in February, but presumably training is also still ongoing for these too.

      However Poland did donate soviet era tanks last year, and has since donated its improved PT-91 version of the T72. In total they’ve donated hundreds of tanks now.

      • Oh. But France is thinking about giving Leclerc’s…..that’s that’s got to be a candidate for Joke of the Year imho.

        And as they’ll still be thinking about it next year a candidate for JotY 2024 too 😂.

        • The Leclerc is an excellent thoroughly modern MBT. 1 forward gear, 3 reverse including a super fast retreat mode. In addition once combat heats up the commander has the option of deploying the automatic white surrender flag, which pops out of a dispenser on the turret roof alongside the APS.

    • UK was first western nation to decide and declare supply of western tanks to Ukraine – that is awell-known fact. Poland may have beaten the Uk by a few weeeks in getting tanks into Ukraine. The US comes a distant last place in this.

      • Strange I was convinced Poland was first, although now that I’m thinking about it France is definitely first if you consider the AMX they sent, a tank… Anyway I will try to find the sources which shaped my understanding on this when I get home later and get back to you guys

          • Thanks mate. The Poles said they would send Leo2s on 11Jan on a tweet, but they had not had end user agreement from Germany to do so. Sunak phoned Zelensky on Sat 14 Jan about the CR2 supply (reported on Sun 15th).
            Pretty close.
            The AMX is a recce vehicle which many say doubles as a Tank Destroyer but some do not like to use that term – it has a 1055mm tank cannon.

  6. Good luck to the crews is all I can say cos they are gonna need lots of it being totally out ranged by the Russian gear.

    Extremely charitable of HM gov to give Ukraine some inferior equipment show them how to use it and send them off to certain death 👍🏻👏🏻 .

    Here’s what the Kyiv Independent published on March 5th ( that’s right a UKRANIAN publication) had to say …….

    “During their brief visits to the nearby town of Kostiantynivka, Ukrainian infantrymen told the Kyiv Independent of unprepared, poorly-trained battalions being thrown into the front line meat grinder to survive as best they could with little support from armored vehicles, mortars, artillery, drones and tactical information.

    “We don’t get any support,” says a soldier named Serhiy, who has been fighting on the front lines in Bakhmut, sitting down with his friend, also named Serhiy, for a conversation in a small cafe in the Kostiantynivka market. Both men are in their 40s but one of them is a bit older than the other.

    All soldiers in this article have been identified only by first name or callsign because they spoke to a publication without authorization by a press officer.

    They say that Russian artillery, infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers are often allowed to strike Ukrainian positions for hours or days without being shut down by Ukrainian heavy weapons. Some complained of poor coordination and situational awareness, allowing this to happen or making it even worse.

    Mortarmen spoke of extreme ammunition scarcity and having to use weapons dating back to World War II. Drones that are supposed to provide critical reconnaissance information are also scarce and are being lost at very high rates in some parts of the battlefield.

    All this leads to terrifying casualties of both dead and wounded. “The battalion came in in the middle of December… between all the different platoons, there were 500 of us,” says Borys, a combat medic from Odesa Oblast fighting around Bakhmut. “A month ago, there were literally 150 of us.”

    “When you go out to the position, it’s not even a 50/50 chance that you’ll come out of there (alive),” says the older Serhiy. “It’s more like 30/70.”

    Aye it’s a lovely war Remember there’s THREE sides to this tale not just the comedic propaganda put out by either of those rotten corrupt regimes or the globalist shitebags pulling the strings here in the West. Something that gets lost in this ECHO chamber 😉

    It’s time the British army returned to having credible artillery brigades in sufficient numbers ,hopefully someone with a brain in the MOD will agree
    🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇬🇧

  7. Is the AHS Krab a good replacement British Army SPG?

    Youtube article has them hitting targets with Excalibur at 50km.

    Compliment to the Archer system!

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