Greece plans to send 60 M110A2 howitzers and 203mm shells to Ukraine
The Greek government has approved the transfer of a substantial amount of military equipment and munitions to Ukraine that had been considered obsolete for Greece's own armed forces.
Source: Ef.Syn, a Greek cooperative daily newspaper
Details: The shipment will include 60 self-propelled 203mm M110A2 howitzers, about 150,000 shells and thousands of Zuni-type rockets in 70mm and 127mm calibres. The transfer will be routed through Czechia under an intergovernmental agreement.
The Hellenic National Defence General Staff have classified this equipment as "non-operationally necessary" because it no longer meets the requirements of Greece's modern armed forces.
The military assets come from ground forces and air force reserves and will be transferred "as is". The government expects the deal to generate about €199.4 million, which will be allocated to the purchase of new armaments.
The package consists of the following:
60 M110A2 howitzers (€31.2 million)50,000 M106 shells (€41.5 million)
40,000 M650 HERA shells (€60 million)
30,000 M404 ICM cluster munitions (€33 million)30,000 M509A1 DPICM cluster munitions (€33.6 million)
More details: Each M509A1 shell contains 180 submunitions designed for use against armoured vehicles and personnel. While the international Convention on Cluster Munitions bans their use, Greece is not a signatory to it.
The final decision on the transfer must be approved by the national security council chaired by the prime minister.
For reference: The M110A2 is an American 203mm self-propelled howitzer, a modernised version of the M110 standard model adopted in the 1960s. The A2 modification features a longer barrel, extending its range: it can fire conventional shells up to 24km and HERA shells up to 29-30km. Its main advantage is the enormous power of its 203mm ammunition, weighing up to 90.7kg, capable of causing significant destruction despite a relatively low rate of fire of one round per minute.
Background: It has been reported recently that some NATO countries are pressuring Greece to also supply Ukraine with Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets.
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