The 155 mm shells are used in several artillery systems supplied to Ukraine by Western countries, such as the French Caesar, the American M777 and the German Panzerhaubitze 2000.
France and Australia will work together to supply Ukraine with 155mm howitzers to support Kyiv in its war with Russia, the two countries’ defense ministers, Sebastien Lecorny and Richard Marles, announced today.
“Several thousands of 155mm shells will be jointly manufactured,” said Lecorny while Marles spoke of “a multi-million dollar project” and “a new collaboration between the defense industries” of France and Australia.
The agreement “is part of the effort to support” Ukraine so that Canberra and Paris can ensure that it “endures the conflict and ends the war on its own terms”, Marles added.
Deliveries will begin in the first quarter of 2023, Lecorni said, but declined to elaborate.
The defense ministers met in Paris together with their foreign counterparts, France’s Catherine Colonna and Australia’s Penny Wong, as part of the recent renewal of cooperation between the two countries.
France’s relations with Australia suffered a rupture in 2021 when Canberra canceled a major contract for the delivery of French submarines in favor of acquiring American nuclear-powered submarines.
Marles confirmed today that Australia does not plan to acquire conventional submarines until the nuclear ones are delivered, dashing French hopes that the two countries could reach an interim deal.
The 155 mm shells are used in several artillery systems supplied to Ukraine by Western countries, such as the French Caesar, the American M777 and the German Panzerhaubitze 2000.
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