Italy providing arms:

https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/3604150-italy-provides-ukraine-with-two-m270-systems-six-pzh-2000-about-30-selfpropelled-howitzers-media.html

Interesting analysis of the cost for Italy to develop a land army vs air and sea army:

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1587127120983195652.html

German article on the Gephard in Ukraine, and how it has proven very effective against drones. Also shows the ammo used.

https://archive.ph/yI3eC

gatnerd said:

Also shows the ammo used.

That is conventional HEI with impact fuse.

I wonder if that’s being pressed into service due to a shortage of the standard load ( was it a frangible AP?)

gatnerd said:

I wonder if that’s being pressed into service due to a shortage of the standard load ( was it a frangible AP?)

The original AA load has been HEI. This was changed later, late '90, to FAPDS. The idea has been to increase the hit propability while keeping the effect of a hit at a comparable or even better level. Hit propability against fast and evading targets that is.
Since drones are rather slow, do not evade like a manned attack aircraft and are unprotected unlike attack helicopters or fixed wing attack aircraft. HEI might even be the preferrable choice.

But my educated guess is they use what they can get. So supply most likely will play a role.

schnuersi said:

The original AA load has been HEI. This was changed later, late '90, to FAPDS. The idea has been to increase the hit propability while keeping the effect of a hit at a comparable or even better level. Hit propability against fast and evading targets that is. Since drones are rather slow, do not evade like a manned attack aircraft and are unprotected unlike attack helicopters or fixed wing attack aircraft. HEI might even be the preferrable choice.

Are the gun muzzles fitted with the fuze-setter for using AHEAD?

autogun said:

AHEAD

That seems like it would have been the optimal load / a hell of an advertisement for the concept. 

autogun said:

Are the gun muzzles fitted with the fuze-setter for using AHEAD?

It does not appear that they are.

autogun said:

Are the gun muzzles fitted with the fuze-setter for using AHEAD?

Highly unlikely. The Gepards have not been until their phase out of service in the German Army. To my knowledge they are unmodified.

gatnerd said:

That seems like it would have been the optimal load / a hell of an advertisement for the concept.

I agree. But instead it seems a propper SPAA can score direct hits onto drones so reliable HEI is good enough and the effect of a single high is a kill. It might be the case that with current drone technology air burst is not needed if the FCS is sofisticated enough.