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)
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?
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?
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 ?
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.
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
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.
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.