Last month, Finland announced the development of the first wheeled self-propelled guns based on the 155 K98. The manufacturer stated that they can resume the production of howitzers in a short period of time.
The company Patria, which is known for the production of armored vehicles, announced its readiness to resume the production of 155-mm howitzers against the background of the war in Ukraine. This reports Defence Blog.
Conventional artillery remains a formidable force on the battlefield. A clear example is Ukraine, which is currently repelling the Russian invasion. Patria has many years of experience in the development and production of weapons. In particular, the 155 K98 howitzer has been a cornerstone of the Finnish Defense Forces since its inception in 1998. The range of the gun is 40 km, and it was developed based on experience from the 1950s.
— said Vesa Toivonen, Patria's systems testing manager, about the evolution of the gun from the 122 K60 to the 155 K98.
Almost 200 K98 guns have been produced over the years, and have undergone a number of upgrades over the years. The last howitzers were delivered in 2005, and later production was closed. Patria continued to maintain the guns and maintain their readiness.
So now Patria is ready to return to the development of howitzers, but on a wheel base, to increase the chances of survival in the conditions of modern warfare.
“Instead of camouflage, the key to ensuring artillery survival in this difficult environment is to ensure the speed of moving the gun into firing position, firing and changing position,” — said Pekka Ruutu, Patria's executive vice president.
He also added that if necessary, they are ready to resume production of 155 K98s in a relatively short period of time. Ruutu added that the war in Ukraine shows the relevance of mobile guns.