On Tuesday, September 30, 2025, Greek newspaper Ef.Syn. was the first to report that the government intends to sell 60 decommissioned 203 mm M110A2 self-propelled howitzers to the Czech Republic so they can be passed on to war-torn Ukraine. The package would also include 150,000 rounds of dedicated artillery ammunition, as well as thousands of unguided rockets – 2.75-inch Hydra (70 mm) and 5-inch Zuni FFAR (127 mm).
Illustrative photo: Japanese 203 mm M110A2 self-propelled howitzer / Photo: 100yen via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
According to the newspaper, the Greek Ministry of Defense plans in the near future to reach an agreement with the Czech government to sell or exchange the aforementioned military equipment and ammunition, either for monetary compensation or equivalent materiel value.
The Council of Chiefs of the Hellenic National Defense General Staff (SAGE) classified this materiel as non-essential operational military equipment (MEASE), which means it can be disposed of from reserve stockpiles. The decision was justified by the obsolescence of the systems and their failure to meet the operational requirements of the Hellenic Armed Forces. The equipment originates from the inventories of the Hellenic Army (Ellinikós Stratós) and the Hellenic Air Force (Polemikí Aeroporía) and will be delivered to the buyer “as is” (Greece originally possessed 145 M110A2 howitzers, though some were likely cannibalized).
The military leadership argued in its proposal that exporting this materiel would not affect national defense, while securing funds worth 199.4 million EUR to be reinvested in new acquisitions. However, some voices of concern have emerged, pointing out that weapon systems supporting the eastern Aegean islands are being withdrawn without replacement.
Detailed list of equipment and ammunition:
- 60 M110A2 self-propelled howitzers with estimated value 31,219,000 EUR;
- 50,000 M106 high-explosive fragmentation shells with M2 propellant charge for at least 41,500,000 EUR;
- 40,000 M650 HERA (High Explosive Rocket-Assisted) extended-range shells with M188A1 charge – at least 60,000,000 EUR;
- 30,000 M404 ICM (Improved Conventional Munition) cluster shells with M188A1 charge – at least 30,000,000 EUR;
- 30,000 M509A1 DPICM (Dual-Purpose Improved Conventional Munition) cluster shells with M188A1 charge and 180 M42 submunitions for anti-armor and antipersonnel use – at least 33,600,000 EUR;
- An unspecified number (thousands) of unguided rockets, 70 mm Hydra 70 and 127 mm Zuni FFAR.
It is worth noting that under the Dublin Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM), trade in cluster munitions is prohibited. However, this restriction does not apply to Greece, as it has not signed the convention. Ukraine also employs DPICM cluster munitions supplied by the United States, first announced in the July 2023 aid package. It is expected that the ultimate destination of this Greek materiel will be the battlefields in Ukraine. This would not be the first time Athens has militarily supported Kyiv, as Greece has previously provided various forms of ammunition, mainly 155 mm artillery shells, since the beginning of the war.
The issue of the equipment’s availability was discussed during the September 29 meeting of the Standing Committee for Armament Programs and Contracts, attended by Deputy Defense Minister Athanasios Davakis and senior military leadership. Members of the ruling party supported the defense ministry’s proposal, while opposition members raised objections, particularly regarding the transfer of military equipment to Ukraine. In any case, the sale to the Czech Republic will require the approval of the Government Council for Foreign Affairs and Defense (KYZEA), which is expected to convene under the prime minister’s chairmanship soon.
It should be added that while the M110A2 self-propelled howitzers will not revolutionize Ukraine’s capabilities, the Ukrainian Armed Forces already operate Soviet-era 203 mm 2S7 Pion howitzers, which were modified in 2023 to fire U.S.-made M105 and M106 rounds, around 10,000 of which were supplied by the Biden administration. However, reports from March this year indicated that Ukraine was running out of these rare shells, forcing the withdrawal of the Pion guns from frontline use. Therefore, the Greek delivery via the Czech Republic would be welcome news for Ukrainian artillerymen.
It is also worth mentioning that on October 2, 2025, the Chief of the General Staff of the Czech Armed Forces, General Karel Řehka, announced that after completing the modernization of 30 T-72M4CZ tanks and likely three VT-72M4CZ armored recovery vehicles, he would recommend transferring them to Ukraine, joining the 86 T-72M1 tanks previously delivered. The Czechs have replaced their Soviet-era tanks with 42 German Leopard 2A4s, and will later receive 44 Leopard 2A8CZs (with an option for 14 more).
Since 203mm is on the news here some data about the listed shells :
The M106 is the basic HE-frag, 16.6kg of TNT or 17.2kg of comp B
Max range with M110a2 is 21.3km
M106 has noticeably less range than the 3OF43 from 2S7 and is much less lethal with the common TNT load https://t.co/YlDgZ2vrlm pic.twitter.com/2OMUrZtKF6— Helvegen (@Helvegen29) October 5, 2025
