German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius handed over the first of 54 RCH 155 wheeled self-propelled guns to Ukrainian Ambassador Oleksiy Makeyev.
This is reported by Welt.
"This is a signal that Ukraine can rely on us," Pistorius said.
The howitzer was handed over to the German concern Rheinmetall in Kassel, where it was manufactured.
For now, 6 of these systems will remain in Germany — they will be used to train Ukrainian military personnel.
German Defense Minister Pistorius and Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock say that a new aid package worth a total of €3 billion will be delivered in time for the Bundestag elections, which will be held on February 23 this year.
- The RCH 155 is a German self-propelled artillery mount that uses a modern automated system. It fires 155 mm shells to a distance of up to 54 kilometers. The range of the shot depends on the type of shell. The mount is mounted on a wheeled chassis similar to a heavy-duty armored vehicle, which allows it to move quickly on or off-road at speeds of over 100 kilometers per hour.
- This installation works almost without human intervention: a crew of two (driver and commander) is inside an armored cabin protected from attacks and controls all processes using an automated system. It can fire several times in rapid succession (up to 9 rounds per minute) and even fire while moving, which makes it effective in combat conditions.
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