Britain buying 72 new artillery systems

The British Army is to procure 72 new howitzers under a nearly GBP 1 billion contract, supporting at least 500 jobs across the UK.

The contract for the RCH 155, awarded by the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR) on behalf of the British Army to ARTEC GmbH, a joint venture between KNDS and Rheinmetall, covers initial training and in-service support alongside the vehicles themselves. First deliveries are expected in 2028, with a minimal deployable capability to be achieved within this decade.

The weapon systems, including the barrel, breech, recoil system and trunnions, will be manufactured at Rheinmetall’s large-calibre production facility in Telford, with British steel supplied by Sheffield Forgemasters. The BOXER drive module will be manufactured by KNDS UK in Stockport. The programme is expected to create 100 new skilled jobs at Rheinmetall’s Telford facility, support 100 jobs in Stockport and back a further 300 across the wider UK supply chain.

The RCH 155 is mounted on a BOXER chassis and capable of firing eight rounds per minute at targets up to 70 kilometres away. It can redeploy at speeds of up to 100km/h, making it harder for adversaries to target, and its automated turret allows it to be operated by just two soldiers from the crew compartment.

Defence Secretary John Healey said the investment demonstrated that defence could serve as an engine for economic growth. “By securing next-generation artillery with Germany, not only are we rearming to strengthen NATO against growing Russian aggression but also creating highly skilled jobs here in Britain,” he said.

German Federal Minister of Defence Boris Pistorius said the procurement demonstrated practical commitment to NATO interoperability. “Together with the United Kingdom, we are demonstrating that we take interoperability within NATO seriously and are putting it into practice,” he said, adding that the agreement would “deepen military cooperation in the long term and improve our operational readiness — for greater security in Europe.”

Deputy Chief of the General Staff, Lieutenant General Simon Hamilton, said the contract marked “the first significant milestone in replenishing” the capability gap created when the British Army donated AS90 artillery systems to Ukraine in 2023. “Britain answered the call for aid by providing artillery systems to Ukraine at the outbreak of the war. We knew the risk — the gap in our warfighting capability — that this would present,” he said.

The RCH 155 replaces the AS90 systems donated to Ukraine. The Archer artillery system currently serves as an interim capability and will continue to do so until the RCH 155 enters service. The procurement builds on the Trinity House Agreement signed between the UK and Germany in October 2024, and follows a £52 million Early Capability Demonstrator contract signed in December 2025 and a £53 million Long Lead Item procurement contract earlier this year.