In the framework of the meeting on April 23 between the British Prime Minister (PM) Rishi Sunak and the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, a new industrial program has been outlined for the manufacture of RCH155 artillery systems by the German company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) for the British Army, which will be integrated into the future fleet of British-German armored wheeled combat vehicles Boxer. The news comes after the recent announcement by the British Ministry of Defense regarding a 2.5% increase in defense budget as a percentage of GDP by 2030.
Regarding this, PM Rishi Sunak made the following statements: “The United Kingdom and Germany are European powers. Together we are stronger, whether defending ourselves from Russian aggression or driving economic growth and technological advancement (…) Today we open a new chapter in our relationship, one that will make us safer and more prosperous. At this dangerous moment for the world, the United Kingdom and Germany stand together to preserve security and prosperity at home and across our continent.”
Regarding the RCH155 system, KMW presented it at the EUROSATORY fair in 2022, standing out as the world’s first mobile artillery system capable of firing while on the move. The howitzer has a caliber of 155 mm and is based on the design of the self-propelled howitzer PzH 2000 already tested in the German Army. Additionally, the manufacturer ensures that the system can fire between 6 and 8 rounds per minute with a maximum range of 40 kilometers, having a 360-degree firing range and being capable of firing various types of 155 mm ammunition present in NATO inventories.
As mentioned, the intention of the British Army is to integrate the RCH155 system into the Boxer mechanized infantry vehicles. This will provide the two crew members required to operate the howitzer with armor that can withstand heavy machine gun fire, mines, and chemical, biological, and radiological threats. In total, the local production of these vehicles establishes links with over 100 component suppliers in the UK, which according to the British Ministry of Defense will create hundreds of jobs.
This announcement regarding the future manufacturing and acquisition of the RCH155 also indicates the non-selection of the Archer artillery system as the proposed candidate by BAE Systems, Babcock, and RBSL for the Mobile Fires Platform program. The latter had already been acquired by the British Army to fill the gap, in a quantity of 14 units, following the delivery of 32 self-propelled AS90 howitzers to Ukraine as part of an aid package and the delay in the development of a replacement. The Archer system had already been evaluated by British forces in Sweden during the month of February as part of the incorporation process into the force.
Image credits: KMW
You may also like: The first of the new Challenger 3 tanks of the British Army rolls off the production line
