According to a video released on the Twitter account of “Ukraine Weapons Tracker” on April 13, 2022, the Czech DANA, a 152mm wheeled self-propelled howitzer is now used by the Ukrainian armed forces. The Czech Republic would have delivered an undisclosed number of these artillery vehicles to the Ukrainian army.
On April 6, 2022, Army Recognition reported that the Czech Republic has sent to Ukraine T-72A main battle tanks and BVP-1 infantry fighting vehicles, Soviet-made BMP-1 produced under license in the Czech Republic.
In January 2022, the Czech Republic announced the transfer of 4,006 stored 152-millimeter shells for a total value of $1.7 million at no cost to Ukraine which was approved on January 26, 2022, following a request from the Czech Defense Ministry. The 152mm ammunition can be used by the DANA howitzers.
The DANA is based on a TATRA 815 8×8 truck military chassis. It has a very unique design and was one of the first wheeled self-propelled howitzers developed for the military market. The layout of the DANA is divided into three main parts with the driver compartment at the front, a fully enclosed turret in the center, and the engine compartment at the rear.
The Dana 152mm 8×8 self-propelled howitzer is fitted with a fully enclosed armored turret mounted on the center of the chassis which is armed with one 152mm with a muzzle brake and fires the same ammunition as the Russian-made 152 mm 2S3 tracked self-propelled howitzer. The truck-mounted howitzer is fitted with an automatic loading system with 30 rounds of ammunition to be fired in 30 minutes or 90 rounds in 1 hour with the projectiles and charges stowed in magazines. A total of 60 projectiles and charges are carried in the chassis and inside the turret. It has a maximum firing range of 20 km with standard ammunition and 28 km with extended range ammunition. The vehicle has a crew of five.