Following the announcement made last February, Germany has revealed a new military assistance package for the Ukrainian Armed Forces that includes the new RCH-155 Self-Propelled Howitzers (SPHs), making Ukraine the first operator of the system in real combat operations. This information comes from an official video released by the Bundeswehr last week, detailing not only the upcoming delivery of the initial units committed by the end of the year but also various other supplies and platforms.

Specifically, Ukraine is set to receive a total of 36 RCH-155 SPHs to enhance its artillery capabilities, complemented by an additional 12 PZH 2000 platforms and 4 Zuzana 2 systems, all in 155mm caliber. It is worth noting that the delivery of this new artillery platform was initially announced by the German Ministry of Defense in 2022, but in a smaller quantity of 18 units.

The modern RCH-155s, designed by the German company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW), offer significant advantages in automation, achieved through the automation of the loading system and remote control of the turret. Consequently, each system only requires two crew members to operate, allowing Ukraine to spend less time training crews and significantly reducing the number of personnel needed for operation.

The RCH-155 has a range of 50 kilometers (using special ammunition such as the M982 Excalibur) and a firing rate of 9 shells per minute, based on the 8×8 Boxer armored vehicle. It features a MTU V8 199 TE21 engine with 815 horsepower, providing a range of up to 700 kilometers on a full tank and the ability to reach speeds of up to 100 km/h.

As mentioned, the presentation by Major General Dr. Christian Freuding outlines a broad array of material being sent to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, ranging from air defense systems to medical equipment and ammunition. More specifically, the aid package will include: 2 IRIS-T SLM systems, 2 IRIS-T SLS systems, 10 Gepard anti-aircraft systems, 1 field hospital, and unspecified quantities of drones, assault rifles, ammunition of various calibers, ZETROS tankers, off-road vehicles, among other items.

Image credits: KNDS

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