A batch of BTR-50s had been received by the 114th Motorized Brigade of the 1st Corps and they have been regularly used during mechanized attacks in Avdiivka’s north-east flank since the beginning of the offensive. It seems that the 39th Motorized Brigade of the 68th Corps (which is active in Novomykhailivka) also received them, at least in the version with the BPU-1 turret (14,5mm KPVT). They have “frankenstein” MT-LBs too, after all.

Some very recent European procurement news.

France has ordered 109 CAESAR 6x6 Mk2s. The first deliveries will take place in 2026 and they will replace the AMX-30 AuF1s still used by the French Army as well as the early batches of CAESAR Mk1s. Note that there is a mistake at the end of the article - France so far has supplied 30 CAESAR Mk1s to Ukraine, not 12.

The Italian Army has ordered four SAMP/T NG batteries, to complement the existing five. Considering that, as far as I know, on average two of them are under maintenance at any given time, this was necessary as the sixth (originally incomplete and used for training) was sent to Ukraine, one is deployed in Kuwait, one in Slovakia and one is used to protect the skies over Rome during major events. And this is in addition to the five SAMP/T NG batteries ordered by the Italian Air Force last year, where they will replace 12 Spada 2000 batteries, with a significant increase in capability.

I had seen that too; I am very curious about what it could be. I doubt the Italian Army had room to send more right now. Maybe they could be IRIS-T SLM or NASAMS batteries that Zelensky is magnifying?

The production pace of CAESARs is decent and has been increased a lot over the last two years. Potentially 78 of them could be produced for Ukraine this and the next year, and there are also orders from the Czech Republic (the part that is produced in France), Lithuania and Belgium.

Otherwise, it’s true, producing systems today is more complicated and Western countries are not in a war economy.

Don’t worry - that’s true. I am not aware of any plan of theirs to develop or acquire tracked SPHs. After all, the French aversion to tracks is well known! Since they don’t even have a tracked IFV, I doubt they are interested in a tracked SPH.