Old Guns for New – Qatar’s German Howitzers Headed for Ukraine

According to a Sunday report in Germany’s Bild, Berlin approved the sale of an undisclosed number of the Krauss-Maffei Wegmann produced advanced RCH 155 (Remote Controlled Howitzer 155mm) artillery systems to Qatar. The report said Doha will, in return, hand over 12 of its 24 155mm Panzerhaubitze 2000 (PzH 2000) self-propelled howitzers for transfer to Ukraine – suggesting they are buying at least 12 RCH 155s at a cost of around €100 million ($110 million).

The PzH will be refurbished in Germany before onward transmission to Ukraine with six planned to be delivered before the end of the year and the balance by the second half of 2025.

The swap is part of the so-called “ring exchange” program where donor countries transfer weapons from their existing inventories to Ukraine and in return receive new or upgraded replacements. The system ensures Kyiv gets critical military materiel relatively quickly and the contributor’s own stocks are not degraded.

The transfer of the PzH 2000s will provide a welcome increase to Kyiv’s artillery capabilities. It can fire the full range of NATO caliber 155mm ammunition which is matched with the system's advanced features, high rates of fire, precision targeting, and long-range capabilities.

In turn the receipt of the highly advanced RCH 155 artillery system will enhance Doha’s defense forces. The system uses the same 155mm L52 gun as the PzH 2000 but it is mounted on the eight-wheeled Boxer-wheeled armored vehicle and only requires a two-man crew while offering increased mobility and automation compared to its tracked predecessor. The system can fire precision-guided munitions at distances exceeding 40 kilometers (25 miles).

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This is also not the first time that Germany has bought back its hardware from Qatar. In 2023 it is said to have recovered Gepard self-propelled air defense systems for Ukraine from the independent Emirate, which had originally been purchased to provide security for the 2022 World Cup which was held. That transfer was kept pretty close to the chest as neither side was ready to declare the transaction.

This latest sale to Qatar is not without controversy, however. Germany, along with the UK and other EU members, has currently instituted a moratorium on the transfer of certain classes of weaponry to Israel, including ammunition for Jerusalem’s main battle tanks. Meanwhile, the sale of modern howitzers to Qatar is questioned because Doha is seen by many as one of the main supporters of the terrorist organization Hamas, currently in a shooting war with Israel.

Others see this move as marking a strategic realignment for Qatar, which has until recently maintained a neutral, sometimes hostile stance towards Ukraine in its war against Russia. Traditionally Qatari foreign policy has focused on mediation and conflict resolution, both within the Middle East and beyond.

It is not only Germany that is working on “ring exchanges” in favor of Ukraine in the Middle East. During a press conference in March French President Emmanuel Macron said his government, along with the UK, Italy and Germany were in discussions with

Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia to negotiate the return of Western supplied weapons for transfer to Ukraine.