Armatohaubica wz. 1977 DANA

Quite unusual among self-propelled guns, DANA uses wheeled chassis rather than tracked, like most of its cousins.

Despite the fact that USSR was a major weapon manufacturer and exporter of the Eastern Block, many countries prefered to develop their own vehicles. For example Poland and CzS refused to buy Soviet BTR-series wheeled carriers (only Polish Citizen Militia, or MO, used BTR-60 carriers), instead opting for developing its own version, OT-64 SKOT. DANA was a similar case. CzS refused to buy Soviet 2S3 Akatsiya SPH. At the beginning of 1970s, Czechoslovakian designers started to work on a new self-propelled gun-howitzer (which could be used for direct or indirect fire). Chassis from Tatra T815 was used in an unusual configuration of a limited-traverse turret mounted in the middle of wheeled carrier. In 1980, DANA was put into production.

Due to its low cost (compared to tracked SPGs) and good off-road capabilities, 111 DANA howitzers were acquired by Polish Army since 1983. After the collapse of Czechoslovakia, DANA howitzer are in use of both Czech and Slovak Armed Forces. They were also sold abroad, to Georgia and Lybia. The latter used their howitzer in combat in 2008 South Ossetia War and 2011 Libyan Revolution, respectively. Polish DANA howitzer were dispatched to Afghanistan, and used to support Polish and Afghan troops against Taliban attacks. Many of them were given affectionative nicknames from their crews: the three in current service in Afghanistan are Fiona, Barbara and... Lady Gaga