They got them from the Dutch. The first DITA howitzer destroyed in Ukraine

Ukraine received nine and six units of the Czech-made DITA self-propelled howitzer as part of military aid from the Netherlands. The Dutch Ministry of Defence reported on the delivery of the first tranche at the end of October 2024, indicating that this task had already been completed in the summer. The remaining units were likely delivered by the end of 2025 (or earlier), as evidenced by the appearance of the aforementioned artillery in new units such as the 12th Special Purpose Brigade Azov.

First DITA lost in Ukraine

In the second half of October, video footage emerged showing an attack by Russian FPV drones on one of the Ukrainian self-propelled howitzers of this type. The footage reveals that the vehicle had not received any typical front-line modifications, such as slat armour combined with jammers. There was also no visible vehicle responsible for the artillery’s anti-aircraft cover in the vicinity. At least three unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were used in the attack, with at least two clearly striking the vehicle.

It can be seen that a fire broke out after the first UAV hit (a Ukrainian soldier is visible behind the DITA during the attack, attempting to flee). Footage from the second drone shows that the fire had already engulfed the entire fighting compartment. Interestingly, the third UAV indicates communication problems for the Russian operator (perhaps delayed EW support arrived?). This is therefore likely the first irrecoverable loss of this type of artillery by the Ukrainian army.

Previously, on 04.10.2024, the first documented damage to a DITA self-propelled howitzer occurred, as reported by the Oryx service. This artillery is highly valued by soldiers, who cite its high level of automation as one of its advantages (including the crew receiving information quickly and efficiently regarding necessary actions before they are carried out). Some of the vehicles received typical front-line modifications last year.

Information regarding Ukrainian interest in this type of artillery had appeared even before the Russian invasion, during the purchase of modernised DANA M2 self-propelled howitzers. This was pointed out by, among others, the authors of several reputable books on Ukrainian artillery – Reserve Lieutenant Colonel Tomasz Lisiecki and Reserve Major Leszek Szostek.

DITA self-propelled howitzer

The DITA is a 155 mm self-propelled howitzer mounted on a Tatra 815 8×8 truck chassis. The vehicle is equipped with an armoured crew cabin. The main armament barrel is 45 calibres long. It is therefore longer than in the aforementioned DANA SPH (L/36.6), but shorter than in the most modern designs of this type (such as the Slovak Zuzana 2 SPH), where the barrel length is 52 calibres. In the DITA SPH, this allows for striking targets at a distance of up to 39 km using base bleed ammunition. The transition time from travel to combat position and the time to leave the firing position are both approximately 60 seconds. The rate of fire for the DITA SPH is specified at six rounds within the first minute of firing, while the sustained rate is one round per minute less. The ammunition supply is 40 rounds. The DITA SPH is operated by a two-person crew.

The main armament is fed by a fully automated loading system located inside the turret, which is situated in the middle of the base vehicle. The gun can be operated vertically within a range of -3° to +70°, allowing for direct fire. It is worth emphasising that the entire fighting compartment of the vehicle is an autonomous module that can be mounted on another chassis, such as a tracked one. Due to the use of a Tatra truck as the carrier, the maximum speed of the DITA SPH is approximately 90 km/h, with a range of 600 km. The vehicle’s power unit is a Tatra T3C-928-90 diesel engine producing over 400 HP. The total weight of the described howitzer is 29 tonnes. It is currently used by Ukraine and Azerbaijan.