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.
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.
