Slovakia may end Zuzana 2 production as lessons from Ukraine reshape artillery priorities

Buyers now demand automatic turrets, armored cabins, and rapid deployability, signaling the end of Zuzana 2 and the rise of Eva M2 on 6×6 chassis.
Zuzana
The Zuzana howitzer produced by Slovakian Constructor Defense is in service of Ukrainian Armed Forces. Photo by ArmyInform
Slovakia may end Zuzana 2 production as lessons from Ukraine reshape artillery priorities

The Slovak 155-mm wheeled self-propelled howitzer Zuzana 2 may leave the production line. According to Denník N, both the manufacturer and buyers are reviewing plans following lessons learned from combat use in Ukraine.

The maximum firing range of the howitzer with a rocket‑assisted projectile is 41 kilometres due to the long barrel and a new fire‑control system. Such parameters allow this howitzer to be used in corps‑level artillery units to strike targets deep in the enemy rear and conduct counter‑battery warfare.

For comparison, the Russian SPG 2S19 “Msta‑S” and its variants can engage targets up to 29 km, the 2S5 “Hyacinth”33 km, the 2S3 “Akatsiya”20 km, and the 2S1 “Gvozdika”21 km, Militarnyi writes

The Slovak howitzer is equipped with a modern fire‑control system that automatically calculates firing data and applies in‑flight corrections. Integrated into the FCS is a small radar unit mounted above the barrel — it measures the projectile’s initial velocity as it exits the muzzle and then transmits parameters used to compute corrections for more accurate firing.

But there are a couple of caveats that reduce its effectiveness in combat.


Lessons from the war in Ukraine

According to the report, “the main reason for the potential end of Zuzana 2 production is the combat experience in Ukraine.”

Buyers are demanding lighter, more mobile wheeled SPGs, with the main gun and ammunition housed in an automatic turret and the crew protected inside an armored cabin.

In contrast, Zuzana 2 places many crew members in a rotating turret next to the ammunition, a design found vulnerable in combat.


What will replace Zuzana 2 on the production line?

Denník N also reports that instead of further developing Zuzana 2, the defense company Konštrukta Defence will focus on producing the new Eva M2 howitzers on a 6×6 chassis.

This reflects a trend toward automation, rapid deployability, and increased crew protection, which are the priorities for European armies and partners supplying Ukraine with weapons. 

The shift to Eva M2 may mark the end of the Zuzana 2 era but also signals the start of a new generation of wheeled howitzers for modern battlefields.

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