In a move that underscores the Ukrainian military’s adaptability and resourcefulness, the Air Force Rifle Brigade has successfully modified tactical Humvee vehicles into improvised “gun trucks,” equipped with the powerful GSh-23 aircraft cannon. This initiative, reported by the Ukrainian MoD, highlights Ukraine’s innovative approach to bolstering frontline firepower with available resources.
Recently, the brigade conducted live-fire exercises using these modified Humvees, where crews engaged in a series of tactical maneuvers, enhancing both their firing accuracy and operational efficiency. The exercises featured a combination of direct-fire and indirect-fire operations, with the latter carried out from concealed positions. To support precision targeting, reconnaissance drones were employed to adjust the fire beyond line-of-sight.
At the core of these “gun trucks” is the GSh-23L, a 23mm automatic cannon originally designed for aircraft use. The cannon is capable of firing both armor-piercing and high-explosive fragmentation rounds at rates of 500 to 3,500 rounds per minute in controlled bursts. With an effective direct-fire range of up to 2 kilometers, the weapon’s range can extend significantly further—up to 6 kilometers—when deployed in high-arc, indirect-fire mode.