The procurement of howitzers from Turkey is a part of the North Macedonian Army’s rearming its artillery divisions.
The armed forces of North Macedonia are undergoing a major modernization drive. Through American and German military assistance, it is re-arming itself with new combat systems from technology, largely a legacy of the Cold War acquired from Ukraine in 2001. In the artillery, it will be Boran howitzers, for the infantry they will acquire American combat vehicles Stryker and JLTV, for air defence the French missile system Mistral 3.
The first battery of six Boran howitzers will arrive in two years, while the remaining two batteries will be delivered in the period from 2029 to 2031.
North Macedonia currently has one light infantry battalion with reinforcements, including a battery of outdated M2A1 howitzers for some tasks within NATO and international missions.
The Turkish Boran howitzers range is 17 kilometers and the firing rate is up to six missiles per minute.
North Macedonia, the youngest member of NATO, became part of the alliance in March 2020, after Greece blocked it for years due to its former name, Macedonia.
