Albania Orders Six Turkish BORAN Howitzers in First Modern Artillery Acquisition

Albania has ordered six BORAN 105 mm Air Transportable Light Towed Howitzers from Turkish state-owned defense company MKE, marking the country's first acquisition of a modern artillery capability in recent years. The agreement also includes ammunition, although neither the contract value nor the delivery schedule has been disclosed. 

The purchase follows a defense cooperation agreement signed by Albania and Türkiye in 2025 that included provisions for supplying 105 mm artillery systems, alongside expanded cooperation in training, logistics, and institutional support. 

According to MKE, Albania becomes the second European NATO member to procure the BORAN system after North Macedonia, which received its first battery in 2025. Bangladesh was the system's first export customer in 2024. 

The BORAN is a lightweight 105 mm howitzer designed for rapid deployment. Weighing approximately 1.7 tonnes, it can be transported by helicopters such as the Sikorsky S-70 and CH-47 Chinook or carried by tactical vehicles. The system is intended to support highly mobile operations and can be brought into action quickly after deployment. 

For Albania, the acquisition represents another step in an ongoing military modernization effort aligned with NATO capability targets. In recent years, Tirana has expanded investment in land force modernization, including the introduction of Javelin anti-tank missile systems and plans to strengthen domestic defense industrial capabilities. 

Reports circulating in defense media have linked Albania to the transfer of legacy 203 mm ammunition for Ukraine's Soviet-designed 2S7 Pion self-propelled guns. However, no official confirmation has been provided by Albanian authorities regarding those reports.