The UK has signed a £52 million joint contract with Germany to acquire the RCH 155 mobile artillery system, a platform capable of firing while travelling at up to 100 km/h and striking targets at ranges of around 70 km.
The agreement, announced this morning, will see Britain receive an Early Capability Demonstrator, with two more systems going to Germany for shared testing and evaluation.
The purchase is intended to feed into the British Army’s Mobile Fires Platform programme, which is searching for a long-term successor to existing artillery capability. Current Archer systems were procured as an interim solution after the UK transferred AS90 guns to Ukraine.
Mounted on the Boxer armoured vehicle, the RCH 155 can operate with a two-person crew due to automated loading and fire control, deliver eight rounds per minute and reposition immediately without preparing a firing position. Its ability to shoot on the move, it seems, is being framed as a direct response to battlefield requirements highlighted in Ukraine, where artillery survivability depends on rapid post-engagement dispersal to avoid counter-battery fire.
Defence Readiness and Industry Minister Luke Pollard said: “The British Army will soon have new artillery that can fire on the move. This builds on lessons from Ukraine enabling our Army to hit targets 70km away and move fast away from returning fire so they can fire again.” He also argued the joint purchase offers better value through shared testing and faster delivery schedules.
The deal sits under the 2024 Trinity House agreement, a bilateral defence cooperation framework with Germany covering procurement, industrial policy and force interoperability.
Edward Cutts, the Army’s senior officer responsible for the Mobile Fires programme, stated: “By working hand-in-hand with Germany, we’re not only accelerating the delivery of world-class artillery capability for the British Army, but doing so more efficiently and cost-effectively than either nation could achieve alone.”
The Ministry of Defence positions the contract as evidence of the Strategic Defence Review’s “defence as an engine for growth” premise and of UK-German alignment within NATO’s collective deterrence posture. However, it represents an early-stage capability demonstrator rather than a confirmed production order, and the government has yet to outline firm numbers or timelines for full programme rollout.
Fantastic news, at last something we can all get excited about.
Mmm do you miss the ‘however’ bit at the end of the article?
Yes it’s an early stage demonstrator but the fact we are acquiring this so quickly and jointly with Germany is a good sign for a rapid role out. It helps that it’s a module for an existing vehicle which is already being manufactured in the UK.
Is it ? I agree this is desperately needed but Germany have actually ordered 84 while we piss about with a demonstrator! So how “rapid” do you think our rollout will be?(boxer production is not exactly setting the world alight either)
Delaying tactics, yet, Ajax has driven a wedge into future procurement so expect all new programmes to proceed with caution.
I agree. I fear the “ interim” 14 Archers will become permanent and all the mobile artillery the Army will get.
Frankly giving the Ukraine army every AS90 we have without already having a replacement on order was extremely irresponsible.
The MoD keeps telling us to prepare for war but their preparations for the coming conflict can be classified as “ we are thinking about it” “ really hard” “ honest”
Hmmm, did you miss my sarcasm ?
Well it was fairly early👍😂
Ha, fair do’s, I do cause issues with my early rise !!!
I detect sarcasm, as usual.
This is nothing to be excited about and really quite annoying.
1. Why has a competitive shoot off not taken place with K9.
2. Why do we always pay ruinous prices then wonder why there’s so little kit.
3. If the Army don’t want it, why don’t they say. ( Maybe they do?)
4. It’s in use in Ukraine, how many years will they drag out now, after years in the offing, we get a single example?
5. This government are at liberty to do a U Turn on Sunak and his reported unilateral decision on this. Why don’t they?
We all kniw why.
6. What will Germany buy off us in industrial offset?
Ha, Lol, I like your Sarcasm Radar DM, It’s a shame so many others aren’t even switched on or pointed In the same direction !!!
Still, It’s always a bit of fun 😁
I know you too well mate.
6) The Boxer chassis is made in the U.K., and Rheinmetall are opening a gun barrel manufacturing facility next door. It’s a good bet that while initial numbers will come from the existing German production line, the bulk will be assembled here.
5) U.K. jobs – see 6) above.
4) Err the article is about the single example. At least this will be battle tested in Ukraine before we bulk order it.
2) Unique capabilities – fire on move, direct-fire, reduced crew of 2
Frankly , if the MoD is correct and we are heading towards a shooting war, we don’t have the luxury of putting U.K. jobs as a priority. We needs to get ready asap but all the MoD is capable of is either giving away or scrapping capability and thinking “really hard “ about replacing it
Hi Spock.
5. UK jobs, yes. The Koreans also said they’d place a factory here.
4. Fair enough, with the Ajax debacle, at least no excuses this time. My thought process was influenced by real world testing in Ukraine.
2. These examples are open to debate, a few months ago Dern was explaining the pros and cons of fire on the move a while ago.
And Dern also detailed why only having 2 crew might also not be ideal with the jobs that need doing when a vehicle lays up.
Ah now then, “When the vehicle lays up”.
Well we have a strict routine both prior to and after our Motorhome is used, It’s my job to do all the cleaning, emptying, refreshing, topping up, checking everything works and all is safe and secure, whilst the wife reads the list at least 15 times.
I would expect this “Two Man” team would be way more efficient with one member being Male and the other, female.
I can’t Imagine to know how It would work with other combinations of Human but I’m sure one would be the Giver and the other, the Receiver ? 🫡🤔🧑🤝🧑
Isn’t this a single example off the existing final assembly line in Germany?
I can understand that as it will arrive quite quickly and then enable a UK assembled order to be placed?
Nice to see them buy something. RCH 155 appears to be the best systems in the world. Hopefully we can start acquiring them soon.
Not tested or battle proven like the Archer or the Caesar
It’s a 155m howitzer. Battle tested? Where, Ukraine? It’s available, it’s a decent bit of kit, let’s just buy it and get our artillery regiments restocked and fast!
No but to claim it as the best system in the world is wrong. Don’t you already have the Archer?
There’s a nice YouTube on the progeny of the Archer and also shows the issues it faces with sales.
If Archer is so good why has no one purchased it and what was Sweden so keen to offload it to us. I think it’s a great systems but it’s a generation behind RCH 155.
RCH155 was delivered to Ukraine this year, I suspect it will be in use soon.
Yes, all 14 of them!!
That doesn’t mean it’s a bad system. If you only ever buy battle systems, you’ll always be a step behind technologically.
It’s already in Ukraine.
Being 2 to 4 times more expensive than other systems…
I doubt it can be described as ‘better’. It seems to me that it is a specific system, but not one that can be purchased in sufficient quantities to have a real impact. This is a common problem with all systems made in Germany: Impressive piece of engineering, but are not really suited to the reality of an army. They have learned nothing in 80 years.
Jim, what about the K9 ? Isn’t that regarded by many to be the best ? Or Is it a bit of a Dog ? 🤔🫡🐩🐩🐩
Where’s the production order? Where’s the sense of urgency?We don’t need them at some time in the future, we need them now!
Whilst I agree that we need these systems as soon as possible, I think this is a lesson learnt from the whole Ajax debacle; better to spend £53m on a system to make sure that it works, than spaff £6bn on an order that leads to problems and possible cancellation.
Agreed, but these have been in production since 2022. They don’t seem to have any issues and as long as we don’t start messing with the design I wouldn’t expect there t be any issues.
But we are messing with the design? We’re sticking a massive turret on it. That needs tested
Odd isn’t i! Why have we not got our hands on a couple since 2022 to do trails etc ,Sunak signed us up to these guns so it’s not as if we didn’t know they were coming! Ukraine has had them since the beginning of the year so a phone call or two would give us some relevant feedback on their performance in a real war! As per usual we will do a lot more than putting a BV in before they are deemed acceptable🙄
I made the same comment on another thread, last week( including adding a BV). I find it unlikely we are buying exactly the same model as Germany. I guess at a minimum the Communications equipment would be different ?
Ours will be Right hand drive ?
A lesson learnt would be to buy something that already exists, is proven in service and doesn’t have hidden issues just waiting to bite our arses. But that’s a lesson that despite repeated teachings none of these halfwits seems capable of learning.
UK Army seemingly has USN Frigate Syndrome.
They oscillate between MOTS and Gucci Bespoke.
Seemly a Gucci Bespoke project fails and they then do a series of MOTS, which work work well, then back to Gucci. A never ending cycle of wasted R&D.
Agree, the system will be in use in Ukraine shortly and it will allow us to pour over real world data.
Wow, ready for service when? 2035? 2040? No rush, I’m sure the army can cope with virtually no heavy artillery. Or IFVs. Or armoured recce.
So, that’s what:
– Some extra Sky Sabre launchers
– Some extra bridging equipment
– A few mobile artillery platforms
I think I’ve missed a few?
52 Jackal E.
12 Sky Sabre Launchers or systems, MoD aren’t clear, by design.
Bridging Equipment? I know they want to get rid of Titan for an inferior model at ruinous price, though latest report was that someone at Andover might have had a light bulb moment.
ONE RCH155.
24 Storm Shroud One Way Effectors, someone told Healey to pose like a RM next to one of those…
500 plus Modini Strike Drones.
Stirring stuff.
I once saw a letter from DRA, Director, RA, confirming FMH was funded! That was 3 or 4 years ago. Amazing how long it takes?
How many does 52 million buy?
One as stated in the article
It doesn’t say that.
The agreement, announced this morning, will see Britain receive an Early Capability Demonstrator
You know what I meant. 😁🤦♂️🙄
Three, as stated in the article.
2 for Germany though
😂
Right move, trial it fully and train crews before buying it, hopefully a full order some time next year. Back log in orders any way behind Ukraine and Germany
Any chance of a follow-up order for (at least a demonstrator) of one of the Boxer IFV variants available? Big capability cap coming soon with the retirement of Warrior. Stretched Ajax option seems unlikely given it’s problems, so Boxer seems the only game in town.
Decision may be waiting outcome of Ajax investigations – I guess there’s a possibility that if Ajax is scrapped completely then replacement could include and IFV
52 million for just one unit. Added to that the fact we haven’t actually placed an order for multiple units……..nothing to be excited about here…….
3, it’s a joint contract by my reading, 2 for Germany one for us.
For a moment I was interested, then went back to sleep after realising it’s the single example news of which already existed before Christmas.
And, 52 million? Are they that expensive?
Hi Daniele
The UK transferred a total of 68 AS90 units to Ukraine, some of which were operationally ready, with others used as donor units for spare parts. As of July 2025, the Oryx blog recorded Ukrainian losses at 19 units (13 destroyed and 6 damaged)
AS90 systems operational in Ukraine have been praised for their high rate of fire (three rounds in under 10 seconds), rapid deployment, good armour protection, quick retreat capabilities and an autonomous gun-laying system that allows for rapid action.
Buying the proposed RCH 155 mobile artillery system is a mistake. The Army doesn’t like it’s poor winter wet ground capability (lack of off-road tracks) it is top heavy and lacks armour. Despite the hype, it’s hard to do 100km/hour off road – it will quickly get stuck in muddy conditions, targeted and destroyed
The Army was interested in the Korean K9 tracked and armoured SPG. More than 600 units of the K9 artillery system have been sold to nations around the world. The Koreans offered to buld a factory here to make them. The selection of RCH 155 was reportedly a direct decision by the Prime Minister Sunak, circumventing the standard army trials process that was also considering competitors – like the South Korean K9 Thunder.
Sunak knows absolutely nothing about military matters whatsoever, apparently he was talked into it over an extended lunch with German Chancellor Scholtz.
Of course, mate.
When does military capability take precedence over politics? Never.
And this government now could reverse the decision, and someone in the Army could complain.
But this government want to be good Europeans and that means buying expensive kit over a perfectly good SPG in the K9.
So three units at £17.3Million and the UK is paying for two test vehicles to be tested by Germany? The Trinity House Agreement is a pretty meaningless document. Other than it infers the UK will pretty much standardize and buy all its kit from Germany. How does this fit with the Defence Industrial Plan/Strategy?
Or indeed the LIS? Perhaps proof they are all just guff? Clearly there is zero intent to build sovereign capability in the Land systems sector.
We already buy Trucks, Boxer from Germany with them allowing a tiny element of work on Boxer but no ICY data or design control.
It appears these agreements will just enforce the status quo with the UK buying everything they need from Germany, US, Spain with the UK having R&D capabilities or testing or control of anything as current Boxer delivery demonstrates, probably fleet installations handled by GD 🙄🤣🤣 dear god! you’d think we would learn from our mistakes wouldn’t you?
So expect less UK jobs, and lower quality jobs with zero export potential- pathetic. Meanwhile the Defence Industrial Plan promised before Christmas is still outstanding. I expect they are having difficulty finding any meaningful UK business content other than do what the Germans/Americans/Spanish tell us to!
A Google on the K9 gives a price of 3 to 8 million $ per example.
At 52 million for 3, either this has a lot more included, or, as usual, someone somewhere has champagne tastes.
It is a never ending trend, we pay so much for kit when cheaper versions exist. Why?
As always, my cynicism says its by design.
No, the RCH 155 is the most expansive artillery system by a nice margin.
Is it April Fools already??
Will everyone please calm down. Our armed forces will be very well equipped, provided there is no war before 2035. Or perhaps 2040.
Let’s all keep our heads in the sand.
1 unit – what a joke – of course this’ll be for PR purposes so that Healey can give the impression we’ve got loads of new kit!
If he poses arms crossed next to it I’ll……I don’t know.
For £52m we should be getting at least 5 & realistically 10 if these are modules only without drive train.
This is a waste of money when we could buy 5 off the shelf platforms & have a shoot out. If RCH isn’t ready or willing, then move to a product that is.
We need to stop spending money we don’t have on equipment we then don’t buy, or buy a n reduced volume as we have spent so much on developing.
Buy off the shelf wherever possible and use as is
I’ll believe it when I see the one Rch on the gun park at the school of artillery with Ratdu climbing over it , in the meantime we should have bought K9 off the shelf and Cv90 off the shelf like other Nato countries
So effectively we are back to square one. A year or so ago it sounded like the platform had been decided on and it was just a matter of finalising the design and building. Now we are are saying we are trialing it as part of a wider program. I’m curious what else we are trialing.
For those only genuinely in the facts, and not those looking to chunter or gripe or whinge even more, see attached article which identifies eventual numbers to be purchased – as usual insert dots
wwwarmy-technology.com/news/german-plan-for-160-boxer-based-artillery-reveals-uks-rch-155-order/
I have a question.
When the pointy loud bit shoots It’s load, do the crew have to be 2 miles away or can they wear Ear Defenders Inside without “being made Ill” ?
I have another question.
Can the Ajax Crew be given the same Ear Defenders so that they don’t become Ill ?
We haven’t ordered anything.
We won’t buy anything.
This is systemic can kicking .