Why a Western defense giant is helping Ukraine build its own version of a battle-tested British artillery gun

Why a Western defense giant is helping Ukraine build its own version of a battle-tested British artillery gun Ukrainian soldiers are using the L119 Light Gun, and now BAE Systems is helping Ukraine to develop its own variant. Scott Peterson/Getty Images A major Western defense firm is helping Ukraine build its own version of a battle-tested British artillery gun, part of a broader push to help the country produce and sustain its own weaponry.BAE Systems signed an agreement this past summer with a Ukrainian partner to develop and test a locally tailored version of the 105mm Light Gun, paving the way for domestic production of the towed howitzer.BAE Systems' Light Gun family includes the L118 used by British forces in the Falklands War and the L119, adopted by the US Army as the M119 and used in Iraq and Afghanistan.BAE Systems describes the Light Gun as "one of the world's most battle-tested artillery capabilities," while the US Army characterizes it as "one of the most versatile weapon systems in the US Army inventory."Giles Ambrose, the engineering, technology, and strategy director at BAE Systems, told Business Insider that Ukraine needs the ability to produce its own weapons rather than depend on foreign suppliers."The need of the Ukrainians is sovereign capability as opposed to equipment supply," he said.Ukraine has increasingly embraced producing its own weaponry rather than buying or receiving it from allies, as it seeks greater control over its defense, shorter production and repair times, and reduced vulnerability to allies' changing political priorities. A Ukrainian Light Gun variant would be made to Ukrainian standard. Scott Peterson/Getty Images Ukraine is already using the L119. The UK began supplying them in 2022 to help fight Russia's invasion. Ambrose said that "it's been proven that it really works for the operational needs of the end users in Ukraine," citing its reliability, lightweight design for easy movement, and smaller size.Although drones have transformed the battlefield, artillery systems remain essential to Ukraine's fight, with a recent major operation showing that artillery still matters. Guns like the L119 can deliver sustained fire against Russian positions, complementing drones used for surveillance, targeting, and precision strikes. The new agreement between BAE Systems and a local strategic partner is intended to build on that experience by giving Ukraine the ability to manufacture its own version of the weapon.The agreement grants a license to a Ukrainian partner, which BAE will not name publicly, and provides the engineering expertise, product specifications, and technical information needed to produce the artillery gun.Ambrose said the variant will "be performing to the same specification, albeit built to Ukrainian standard."The goal is to achieve "the same product specification, the same performance," he said. The difference is that "there will be manufacturing processes, specifications pertinent to Ukraine, unique to a Ukrainian industrial base, which will make it easier and maybe more preferable to use in building this gun." Ukraine's battlefield is dominated by drones, but artillery can still play a big role. Chris McGrath/Getty Images This variant "gives Ukraine the ability to optimize for their industrial base" and "will then maximize the battlefield availability," Ambrose said. "But our role in it will mean it will still perform the same as what is out there performing today."The new license agreement allows BAE's partner to produce a test article, which must be successfully manufactured and qualified before production can move forward. BAE will continue providing engineering expertise and support.The agreement also advances efforts to help Ukraine maintain and repair its weapons domestically, reducing the need to send equipment overseas.BAE Systems works with another British company, AMS Integrated Solutions Ltd, in Ukraine to maintain, repair, and overhaul the light guns already in service there. Keeping that work in Ukraine speeds up repairs and gets weapons back into action faster. Ambrose said it "means we're able to upskill in-country engineers and build industrial capability around those systems.""We, BAE Systems, provide the engineering expertise and with that, decades of through-life artillery support capability," Ambrose said. "AMS bring their in-country facilities, their maintenance expertise and Ukrainian engineering skills, to deliver repair and overhaul capability."BAE Systems also has a contract to repair Archer artillery systems donated by Sweden inside Ukraine, and that includes working with Ukrainian soldiers who receive technical training on maintaining the equipment.BAE Systems is a major player in artillery systems. It has a new 94,000-square-foot artillery development and production site in the English city of Sheffield that is now operational. "It is the home of UK Howitzer production and is at full operating capability now," Ambrose said. Read next Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Sinéad Baker is a Military and Defense Correspondent based in Business Insider's London bureau, writing about Russia's invasion of Ukraine and NATO actions.Sinéad most often covers soldiers' experiences, military strategy, battlefield developments, weapons systems, the defense industry's response, and the impact on NATO and European security, and geopolitical decisions that surround the Ukraine war. She has reported from NATO’s frontlines and around Europe, has interviewed multiple prime ministers and defense ministers, has appeared on BBC News and The Guardian's politics podcast, and has been cited by Congressional hearings.Sinéad has also extensively covered US politics and previously led Business Insider's breaking news coverage from London.Sinéad previously completed a master's degree in investigative journalism at City, University of London, and has written for The Guardian, The Observer, and TheJournal.ie. Sinéad is the former editor of the multi-award-winning The University Times in Dublin.ExpertiseExperiences of soldiers in Ukraine, including battlefield developments and tacticsWestern military responses to the war, and lessons they should learnNew weaponry built for and in response to the war Email Sinéad at sbaker@businessinsider.com or find her on X. Ukraine