- Yes
- No
History
History
By the late 2010s, the Polish Army continued to operate a significant fleet of 152 mm wz. 77 DANA self-propelled gun-howitzers acquired from Czechoslovakia between 1983 and 1987. A total of 111 vehicles had entered Polish service, making Poland the largest operator of the system. Despite their age, the vehicles remained highly regarded by artillery crews due to their reliability, high level of automation and successful operational deployment, including service with the Polish Military Contingent in Afghanistan between 2008 and 2014.
As the introduction of newer artillery systems such as the Krab progressed, it became apparent that the DANA fleet would need to remain in service for many years. Rather than retire the vehicles completely, the Polish Armed Forces decided to try and pursue a life-extension and modernization programme aimed at improving crew conditions, mobility, maintainability an inter-operation with other Polish system while preserving the reliability of the platform
The project was led by Wojskowe Zakłady Uzbrojenia S.A. (WZU) in Grudziądz, the company responsible for the overhaul and support of Poland’s DANA fleet since the mid-1990s. Working together with EG Polska , which provided licensed technical solutions derived from Czech modernization programmes, WZU proposed a comprehensive upgrade package combining elements of the DANA-M1 CZ and DANA-M2 projects. Following discussions between WZU, the Artillery and Rocket Forces Inspectorate and military logistics authorities, modernization standard was approved in 2019 under the designation DANA-M.
In July 2019, the Polish Ministry of National Defence ordered the modernization of the first vehicle as part of a broader effort to extend the service life of the DANA fleet. The prototype conversion was completed by WZU and successfully passed type trials later that year, paving the way for further upgrades. The programme was designed to extend the operational lifespan of the vehicles by approximately two decades while reducing operating costs and improving overall reliability.
The first and most visible introduced by the DANA-M modernization was the installation of an entirely new armoured driver’s and commander’s cabin. The original arrangement, which relied on small vision blocks and narrow observation ports (was a pain for the drivers), was replaced by a modern cab featuring large ballistic-glass windows. This dramatically improved situational awareness, increasing the driver’s field of view and making road movement significantly safer. Additional rear-view cameras with integrated LED illumination were installed, providing improved visibility around the vehicle. The new cab also offered ballistic protection compliant with STANAG 4569 Level 1 standards.
Mobility improvements focused on the vehicle’s Tatra 815 8×8 chassis. The air-cooled Tatra T3-930 diesel engine received a turbocharger, intercooler and numerous modifications to its intake, exhaust and cooling systems. These changes increased engine output from 345 hp to 360 hp while simultaneously improving torque and reducing fuel consumption. The upgraded powerplant, designated Tatra T3-930.52M , improved driving characteristics and reduced the workload placed on the driver.
The modernization programme complemented earlier Polish upgrades that had integrated the WB Electronics TOPAZ fire-control system, modern communications equipment and digital battlefield-management capabilities into many DANA vehicles. Together, these improvements ensured that the aging but capable artillery system could continue serving effectively alongside newer platforms while awaiting eventual replacement by future self-propelled artillery systems.
The resulting DANA-M represented a pragmatic and cost-effective solution for the Polish Army, combining the proven combat capabilities of the original DANA with modern automotive, ergonomic and command-system improvements. The programme demonstrated Poland’s continued commitment to maintaining and modernizing legacy artillery systems while transitioning toward a new generation of self-propelled guns. But in the end it was simply not of much interest to the military, only 3 examples have been modernised so far, the reason why the project has not gone deeper is because of the same reason as why the Kryl was cancelled. The vehicles now await their eventual replacement by Krab and K9 howitzers.
Summarised Characteristics
Details
- Crew (5)
- Driver, gunner, commander, loader, loader
- 152.4mm howitzer
- Ammo:
- 152 mm nabój HE z ładunkiem pełnym
- 152 mm nabój HE z ładunkiem pełnym
- Elevation: -4/+70°
- Fire rate: 4-5 rds/m
- Laser Rangefinder
- Combat weight: 30200 kg
- Engine: Tatra T3-930.52M diesel engine
- Max speed: 90 km/h
Armament
Details
152.4mm howitzer
Fire rate:
- rate of fire 1st minute: 5 rounds/min
- rate of fire sustained: 4 rounds/min
- Rate of fire manual loaing: 2 rounds/min
Elevation: -4° to +70°
Traverse: ±225°
Ammo capacity: Ready racked 40 rounds in autoloader magazine
Ammo feeding: conveyor-fed autoloader with separate projectile and charge handling
Secondary: 12.7mm DShKM (2000 rounds)
Ammunition
152 mm nabój HE z ładunkiem pełnym
- Type: HE
- Igniter: RGM-2
- Igniter: UZA
- Projectile weight: 43.56 kg
- Mass of propellant charge: ~ 8.2 kg
- Initial projectile velocity: V0 = 425 m/s
152 mm nabój HE z ładunkiem pełnym
- Type: HE
- Igniter: RGM-2
- Igniter: UZA
- Projectile weight: 43.56 kg
- Mass of propellant charge: ~ 2.9 kg
- Initial projectile velocity: V0 = 695 m/s
Mobility
Armour
Details
- Chassis: STANAG 4569 Level I
- Turret: STANAG 4569 Level I (According to some sources it is made from 15mm’s thick steel plates)
Optics, electronics,other
Sources
https://opisybroni.pl/shkh-vz-77/
DANA M2 – nejnovější verze osvědčené houfnice se představuje | Armádní noviny
Armatohaubica Dana-M w Wojsku Polskim – MILMAG
vz.77 DANA (152mm variants) gallery | Weapons Parade
Zmodyfikowana DANA-M z Grudziądza
MSPO 2020: Pierwsza unowocześniona Dana
Armatohaubica Dana-M w Wojsku Polskim – MILMAG
https://www.wbgroup.pl/app/uploads/2017/06/topaz_afcs_eng_large_20q1.pdf
