Why Ukraine's French Caesar Howitzers Are Stymying the Russians at Avdiivka

The Caesar's mobility gives it a decided advantage in an crucial battle. It can accurately fire at its target and then drive away in 3 to 5 minutes making it virtually impossible for counterbattery fire to find it. 

And the power, accuracy and range of its munitions makes it deadly for attacking troops and armor. JL 

David Axe reports in Forbes:

For 25 days now, Russian brigades have been trying—and mostly failing—to advance north and south of Avdiivka. One main thing has foiled the Russians’ plan. The Ukrainian army’s artillery, which for three weeks straight has pummeled attacking Russian columns, destroying the equivalent of a brigade. That’s 2,000 men and hundreds of vehicles. The main artillery firepower in the area belongs to the Ukrainian army’s 55th Artillery Brigade (whose French) Caesar 155mm self-propelled howitzers are especially valuable in an intense battle. “Caesar allows you to take a firing position and open fire within less than a minute. Firing and leaving the position takes three to five minutes.”

For 20 days now, Russian brigades have been trying—and mostly failing—to advance north and south of Avdiivka, a Ukrainian stronghold just northwest of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region.

The Russians’ obvious goal: to cut off and starve Avdiivka’s Ukrainian garrison—including the battle-weary 110th Mechanized Brigade—and compel officials in Kyiv to make a hard choice. Either surrender the city or redeploy precious brigades from other sectors in order to save it.

One main thing so far has foiled the Russians’ plan. The Ukrainian army’s artillery, which for three weeks straight has pummeled attacking Russian columns, reportedly destroying the equivalent of a brigade. That’s 2,000 men and hundreds of vehicles.

The Ukrainian infantry brigades in Avdiivka each have their own big guns and rocket-launchers, but the main artillery firepower in the area belongs to the Ukrainian army’s 55th Artillery Brigade.

It’s a powerful formation—and one that’s uniquely suited to the brutal fight around Avdiivka.

The 55th is one of 14 separate artillery brigades in the Ukrainian army. It’s armed with an eclectic mix of guns, including ex-Soviet Giatsint-Bs and Msta-Bs—and also at least 10 Caesar self-propelled howitzers that Ukraine’s NATO allies donated.

The Caesars apparently are the brigade’s only self-propelled howitzers. That makes the truck-mounted 155-millimeter guns especially valuable in an intensive battle. “Caesar allows you to take a firing position and open fire within less than a minute,” one Ukrainian gunner told Radio Free Europe. “Firing at the target and leaving the position takes three to five minutes.”

Shooting and scooting helps a Caesar battery to avoid Russian counterbattery fire. To hit a Caesar battery before it rolls out, the Russians must triangulate the source of incoming shells, send a drone to spot the firing Caesars then direct their own guns to shoot back—all in 180 seconds.

It’s not for no reason that, despite refining their counterbattery tactics in advance of the Avdiivka operation, the Russian army apparently hasn’t knocked out any of the 55th Brigade’s Caesars.

Every day the 55th’s mobile howitzers are in action means more wrecked Russian vehicles and more dead Russians. Worse for the Kremlin, the Caesars apparently are firing American-made M864 cluster shells, each of which scatters 72 grenade-size bomblets.

A well-aimed volley of cluster munitions can devastate entire enemy platoons. A video of a cluster barrage targeting attacking Russians around Avdiivka on or before Monday clearly illustrates the shells’ lethal effects.

“Clear message from artillerists of Caesar self-propelled howitzer,” the Ukrainian defense ministry quipped. “Go home or 155-millimeter shell has no mercy.”