The Ministry of Defence has confirmed progress on the British Army’s RCH 155 artillery programme, with efforts underway to accelerate procurement of the new mobile gun system.
In a written response to a parliamentary question from Conservative MP James Cartlidge, Minister of State Maria Eagle stated: “The Mobile Fires Platform project team will deliver the Remote Controlled Howitzer (RCH) 155 gun system this decade. The team continue to investigate opportunities to accelerate procurement and are working with industry to generate a costed proposal.”
While no specific delivery dates have yet been confirmed, the RCH 155 is considered a core element of the Army’s future capability. It offers an advanced 155mm self-propelled artillery system with a high rate of fire—up to nine rounds per minute—and increased range and accuracy for precision strikes. The platform can deliver multiple rounds in rapid succession across a full 360-degree arc and also features direct-fire capability for close-range engagements.
The RCH 155 is built on the modular Boxer armoured vehicle chassis, bringing logistical benefits through platform commonality and improved NATO interoperability.
Lieutenant General Dame Sharon Nesmith, Deputy Chief of the General Staff, said last year: “I am very proud that we have the opportunity to collaborate with Germany to develop RCH 155 as the British Army’s Mobile Fires Platform.” She added: “It not only presents an invaluable opportunity to work alongside our vital ally Germany, but also demonstrates our clear commitment to and leadership role within NATO.”
The Army’s broader modernisation strategy includes investment worth billions over the next decade, with future development priorities shaped by the ongoing Strategic Defence Review.
We could see this was on the cards when the government announced the expansion of artillery shell production, clearly intended to keep the RCH155 guns supplied and to restock our war stockpiles. Its about time as this artillery order is very overdue.
Not sure when SDSR is publishing but it cant come soon enough. Delivering the RCH 155 this decade means what? initial vehicles in service by 2030 or the whole order? lets hope its the whole order.
why is nothing being posted on this site.??
This decade? And if the Deputy Chief of the General Staff is proud of that non-accomplishment I am thinking we need a new Deputy Chief of the General Staff.
Spartan, you do know that most procurements take 10 years from flash to bang? Dep CGS is reporting delivery (presumably IOC) this decade ie within the next 5 years. Given that this equipment apparently needs further Anglo-German development and then the many other steps before series production starts, the timeline isn’t bad. Sunak crowbarred RCH-155 in without giving the army the chance to evaluate it against competitors, such as Arche and the Korean K9. One of the drawbacks of a Boxer solution is that the SPG wil have to wait for a slot on the British production line which is swamped with building at least 623 APCs for the British Army and at a glacially slow build rate (about 5 or 6 a month?).
Still, the upside is securing a decade or more of work for the good old British worker…which was all Sunak really cared about in the first place.
The system is in serial production already. Ukraine expects delivery of 54 RCHs until 2027, Germany 168 until 2031 and the UK 116 until 2030.
This must also mean hurrying up with the Boxer chassis’ and will this then affect the delivery of other Boxer variants?
The South Africans operated the G6 in the late 80’s, early 90’s.
Very similar design and concept
The South Africans operated the G6 in the late 80’s, early 90’s.
Very similar design and concept
I don’t know if it will be efficient… I like the idea of the vehicule, providing high concentration of artillery fire in one piece, but feedback from Ukraine are not keen on automation. The Leopard 2 seems out of reach for the maintenance crew on the front. The PzH2000 spend more time in repair than on the front. Ukrainians tend to prefer more simple tanks like Leo 1 or Soviet machines.
The front crew are not technicians or engineers, they do what they can. If a machine is too complexe, they can’t do anything. Caesar is more simple and has the best availability of all systems. This is not to say I don’t respect sovereign choices of UK, nor I promote Caesar. It is just to say simpler is better. Lately, Germany sent Wood drones to Ukraine, mass production is easy. This make more sense.
Why is my comment awaiting moderation?
Geoff, so are all mine. Very irritating. It sometimes takes several days to clear by which time no-one is reading the said page….and I paid a donation some months back too.
Would be far quicker and cheaper to purchase the “Archer” system mounted onto an MAN 8×8
Archer already in service, MAN already in service, but NO, let’s have something new that is really expensive. DE&S and HQ Army need to stop looking at “solid” gold solutions.
Sunak chose Boxer RCH-155. DE&S and HQ Army had nothing to do with it.
I assume it is today RMMV, but anyhow at DSEI2019 there was an Archer presented on an RMMV so it already exist one and Sweden has 48 on order for Sweden and 18 on order for Ukraine.
RCH-155 has the better specs/ capabilities.
Archer was bought as a stop-gap solution, and lost in the final evaluation between bidders.
116 RCH-155 to be delivered by 2030, potentially up to 240 total.
Chosen by MoD and later announced by Sunak at summit with German Chancellor.
Buy more archers as well ,these systems are battle proven ,france has excellent truck mounted artillery, us a pile of crap that once was decent system, destroyed by last useless waste of space government and the useless lot before them ,get the finger out please!!!!!
Is there a problem with my post?
It seems widespread. I have 3 posts which have been ‘awaiting moderation” for several days now.
ALL comments are in manual moderation to combat the spam bots.
Comment system is currently like the Russia military, not fit for purpose.
The Salisbury Journal is reporting that the secretary of state for defence has approved the recruitment of an additional 500 Gurkhas for the RA. I assume they will be given something to shoot.
Training is supposed to be starting in july for the gurkas using light gun
Yes, I posted about this a while back.
Something to shoot? Possibly not.
I read that Gurkhas will man the Tac Batteries in other Gun Regiments.
So any such Gurkha Artillery Regiment might not deploy as a complete formation, but work much like the Gurkha Engineers, Gurkha Signals, and some Gurkha Logistic Squadrons, as sub units of other Regiments.