First Polish "Krab" howitzer Destroyed in Ukraine

Polish Krab self-propelled howitzer (SPH) delivered to Ukraine has reportedly been blown up.

Ukrainian portals reporting on the war in Twitter claimed that the Krab was destroyed, but its crew was not injured.

In May, 18 Krab 155mm tracked SPHs were delivered to Poland. A month later, Poland signed an agreement with Ukraine to deliver 60 new 155mm howitzers that will be manufactured by the Polish company Huta Stalowa Wola, reports say. About 100 Ukrainian servicemen are said to be trained in Poland to handle Krab howitzers.

Krab is based on a tracked chassis of the South Korean K9 Thunder fitted with a British AS90 Braveheart turret. It is equipped with a fire-control system control system, gun layer computer, and other subsystems. It also integrates a navigation system and a DD-9620 terminal providing target information.

Also read: Poland, Ukraine Sign $650M Deal for Krab Howitzers

The main armament of the Krab consists of one 155mm/52 caliber gun that can fire standard 155mm NATO projectiles with a maximum firing range of 40km. The vehicle carries 40 rounds of ammunition which are stowed inside the turret and chassis.

The KRAB 155mm howitzer is motorized with an S12-U four-stroke, 12-cylinder, multi-fuel, water-cooled, turbocharged diesel engine developing 625kW at 2000 rpm coupled to a mechanical transmission with a transfer box and two gearboxes with seven forward and one reverse gear. It can run at a maximum road speed of 60 km/h with a maximum cruising range of 650 km.