International Artillery Coalition to Support Ukraine, Launching in France with Caesar AI Trials
A newly formed coalition aimed at strengthening the Ukrainian army will commence operations in Paris in January 2024, as reported by the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine.
During a meeting with the delegation from the French Senate, Deputy Minister of Defence Lieutenant General Ivan Havryliuk emphasized the importance for Ukraine of enhancing firepower through the supply of allied artillery systems. Specifically, the Ukrainian Armed Forces are interested in further procurement of self-propelled artillery units Caesar.
"Caesar self-propelled artillery units have demonstrated high efficiency and precision in battle," stated Havryliuk. In 2024, trials are planned for testing the fire control of Caesar self-propelled artillery units using artificial intelligence. According to the Deputy Minister of Defence, the application of AI will reduce the use of ammunition for sighting and targeting by 30%. Havryliuk urged the French side to contribute to increasing the supply of ammunition for Caesar self-propelled artillery units.
Recall that on November 30, additional Caesar self-propelled artillery units were reported to be procured, along with the delivery of a larger quantity of ammunition. Earlier in November, the French government announced an additional allocation of 200 million euros to the fund supporting the Ukrainian army, which finances arms purchases. In October, it was reported that France would provide Ukraine with six additional self-propelled 155mm Caesar artillery units produced by Nexter.
Due to increased demand for self-propelled artillery units, the manufacturer Nexter has increased the production rate of Caesar self-propelled howitzers to six units per month and offers to improve this figure.
As previously reported by The Gaze, last week, ten countries launched the Tallinn Mechanism for Cyber Support to Ukraine. The mechanism was created during the first meeting of donor countries this spring. Its goal is to systematize Ukraine's needs and develop a unified approach to coordinating assistance in the field of cybersecurity. The mechanism aims to ensure that support from different countries forms a unified strategy aimed at enhancing Ukraine's cyber resilience.
Participants in this program include Estonia, the Netherlands, Canada, Poland, France, Sweden, Germany, Denmark, the United States, and the United Kingdom. NATO and the European Union serve as observers in this process. The Tallinn Mechanism has a front office in Kyiv, a back office in Warsaw, and a coordination group that brings together representatives of Ukraine and donor countries. In the future, other countries may join the mechanism.