"So we were too cheap to buy proper ammo for the big cats? Not much of a surprise there really."
Well, it's not just the round that costs, but with DM53 you need to change few parts in the gun shock mechanism to avoid breaking up the whole thing when firing (€€). Also with DM33 the gun (barrel) itself can fire (if I remember correctly) some 1500 rounds and with DM53 it was just some 100 before you need to change a new barrel. Guess how many spare barrels we have.
pdoktar,
About the MLRS I wouldn't say they got it right. They only have AT-2 ammunition (scatterable antitank mines) and practice rounds. We didn't buy ICM ammo (well we did but they were converted into practice ammo if I remember correctly) to them because some of the grenades will be left duds, and that naturally is humanitarian risk. So now we have a really good MLRS system, but no real ammo for them. Remember how MLRS along with Hornet's AG weapons was supposed to replace AP landmines (iskukykytutkimus)? So now we have system that fires scatterable mines, we don't have the bad bad ICM ammo, nor do we have Hornet AG weapons because USA wouldn't sell us (yet). The funny thing is that all our landmines are safe in stores and when used they are marked really accurately on... miinoiteseloste (few meters accuracy at least). But with AT-2 you really can't say where the mines went. And guess how much damage you will do with full salvo of AT-2 mines to say against SP Howitzer Battalion?
Well, around 2015 there are plans to buy artillery missiles (ATACMS) for MLRS, so that boosts the range, but the damage done is still nothing like the ICM ammo. And few days ago it was said (by few top politicians) that the ICM ammo is important part of the MLRS system. We will get one when they can confirm 0% duds when fired. Guess when that'll be?
Zip