The British Army has received its first Archer Mobile Howitzer 6×6 gun.
This next-generation wheeled artillery system rolled off of a ship at the Marchwood Military Port in Hampshire.
This acquisition comes after the Secretary of State for Defence’s January announcement about the donation of 32 AS90 self-propelled guns to Ukraine. This left a noticeable void in the Army’s 155mm Close Support capacity.
Addressing this deficiency, the MOD swiftly opted for an interim solution by securing the Archer from Sweden.
Colonel Stuart Nasse, Assistant Head of Military Capability Delivery, was quoted as saying, “It is one of the fastest procurements of a complex system that’s ever been conducted through necessity.”
He further mentioned, “We had an intolerable gap which needed to be closed, and we were fortunate our Swedish Allies had an opportunity for us to purchase some of the Archer artillery system. That meant we could move quickly, to seize the opportunity and buy the new capability.”
The Archer, contracted just half a year ago, is the first of 14 guns procured for the Royal Artillery. The acquisition also comprises logistic support containers, ammunition, a training regimen, and an initial support package.
Scheduled to be stationed initially with 19 Regiment Royal Artillery at Larkhill, Wiltshire, the Archer is set to revolutionise military strategies. Regarding the future deployment of these artillery pieces, Colonel Nasse was quoted as saying, “These will be undergoing trials and evaluation for approximately the next six months; artillery soldiers will start training on them from next spring and we will be firing them in the UK next summer.”
Designed by BAE Systems Bofors in Sweden, the UK expects four more Archers by year’s end, with the remaining batch due by spring 2024.
So..32 guns donated, 14 purchased? That doesn’t sound like good news
As the article states, we are due two more batches, with I believe, the intention of having a full Regiment (32 guns) next year some time.
Unfortunately we will have to wait upon Sweden acquiring it’s new howitzers before releasing anymore to us.
The initial 14 were what was already built or could be completed quickly, more will come later but they will be newly built.
Thanks both, thats what I get for not reading carefully!
It is not quite like that. We have 2 SP Gun Regiments left….I know.🙄 One, 1 RHA, is on the Cabrit deployment with the BG in Estonia, with the AS90 guns. Full strength. They are the priority. Bear in mind we only have 57 AS90 left after 32 were given to Ukraine. We once had 6 Regiments of AS90, that is how far the RA has fallen and been neglected SP gun wise. 19 RA are not due to deploy and is back at Larkhill, so they get the initial 14 Archers. The Army want another 10 quickly so the… Read more »
Amazing and shocking, that of 179 AS90s purchased, we have only 57 left today.
6 Regiments up to early 2000s. 1 was cut when 19 Mech became 19 Light around 2007 ( i recall? ) and another 2 were “converted” to LG ( in effect a cut in firepower ) when 4th Mech and 7th Armoured were reduced to Infantry Bdes in the 2010 SDSR cuts. Another, leaving us with 2, went when 26RA converted to MLRS after it came back from Paderborn, Sennelager. Sad state if affairs that both parties are responsible for, and the Army Council in 2015 who decided that Strike was a good idea and 1 AI Bde would become… Read more »
Thanks mate. I wonder how many times assets were cut citing ‘the peace dividend’.
I still think Strike could have been a good idea if it meant a brigade or two of medium-weight armoured forces with a fair amount of punch, but not at the expense of armoured forces. The army needs credible and sufficient heavy, medium and light forces.
Well yes! But Strike was also about cuts, as I often mention. There were 3 heavy Bdes, 1,12,20. And there were the 2 deployable Bdes in 1 UK Div at that time too, one or both of which I think had Foxhound vehicles. So why not use them as interim Strike Bdes and keep the 3 Heavy Bdes, Warrior, AS90, and Challenger? Because there were cuts in Strike plan too, to AS90, to Tanks, and to the number of Inf Bns either Armoured with Warrior or Mech with Mastiff, 6 and 3 respectively, reducing to 4 Warrior and 4 Boxer,… Read more »
I recall the large cuts to CR2 and AS90 active list numbers in the 2010 review – 35% and 40% cuts as I recall. No justification – just to save money in the wake of the global financial crisis.
I agree with your comments – we are in a poor position now in Orbat terms.
Where do you think the retired AS90 and challenger 2s go? Are they parked somewhere? Need an overhaul but could be used if needed after fixing up?
So the 32 guns for Ukraine came out the active guns and haven’t been replaced by stored guns? Obviously being a sensible human being I assumed the guns sent would have come from reserve or been taken from active fleet if the spares weren’t ready in time but replaced by those spares.
Ashchurch has thousands of armoured vehicles stored, I’m sure that includes Tanks. Graham will know for sure.
Unsure whether that fleet includes AS90s.
Unsure on the rest of your question re active or stored guns.
This is the key takeaway for me from the article:
“We’ve procured 14 Archers because that was what was available at the time, we have an aspiration to buy another ten which will bring us up to a full regiment of capability.”
Undermining our military subvertly so any number of new adversaries will have the upper hand.
Rapid procurement at last! , Archer is an excellent piece of kit, let’s hope we acquire some more.
Sweden have recently announced that they are buying a further batch of 48 Archers. But instead of fitted to the Volvo articulated truck chassis, they are going to use the MAN HX2 (8×8) chassis. This is the version that BAe were trying to sell the Army for their long-term requirement. Once the Army get to play with Archer, I’m pretty certain they will want more!
Remember the days when we had a few different mobile platforms M109s, M107s , M110s the M110 had the biggest gun which was a 210mm howitzer .Then the smaller unit with the 105mm which was the Abbott ,love seeing the heavy weights of the British Army back in 80s.Wrong regiment I guess .🙄 Still Archer top Artillery platform 🇬🇧 👍
No MLRS in service when we had M110 though
Think MLRS came 1990-1 🤔
Just in time for Gulf 1. I did the Receipt from trade inspections on the first batch that were sent out. Apparently we “stole” some from the Italians to make up the numbers.
Best to go for a wheeled design when it’s supposed to work in armoured formations with Challenger 3 and Ajax?
Genuine question rather than a dig! These days is there much lost in capability going for something liked Archer over a tracked platform?
I wondered that as well, but isn’t Ajax only a recce platform, so no tracked AFV , only boxer
Even an 8*8 design would be more stable and survivable than a 6*6 wouldn’t it? But it looks a very useful interim purchase and a step up from a towed solution.
Well the gun groups don’t need to move alongside the teeth arms, just the FIST teams that need to do that in suitable OPVs. Archer has a range of 50+km, so it can deploy several kms behind the lead formations and still strike pretty deep. 6×6 should be able to remain good mobility and access suitable gun positions on brown or geen field sites, shoot and then scoot to avoid counter-battery fire.
The actual gun system, there’s not a lot of difference between the autoloader of the Pz2000, K9 and the Archer. Each system has a NATO standard breech chamber volume. Each can bang off three rounds in under 30 seconds and scoot to new location in another 30 seconds after firing. All three use a 155mm L52 cal gun. Though both the Pz2000 and K9 have tested longer barrel guns. Which would be a problem for the Archer mounted on the Volvo chassis. As the gun is stored in an armoured box behind the operators cab. However if mounted on the… Read more »
Has it been officially said that wheeled Archer will work in ABCTs with CR3 and Ajax?
Surely AS90 does that – and ultimately its successor which many think will be the K9 Thunder.
Well seeming as it is equipping 19 RA, who are part of DRSB, which is the artillery arm of those ABCTs, I’d say yes.
Like you, I’d prefer Archer in the wheeled 7 Bde, and K9 with the ABCTs, but we are surely not about to buy two types? I’d love it if we did!
Thanks mate. We have always had multiple types of tube artillery of course – currently LG and AS90, but in the distant past we had 6 types – Pack How, M107, M109, M110, Abbot, FH70. As we know, Archer is clearly optimised for a predominantly wheeled formation (but it is going to a formation rammed full of tracked Ajax!) – and an SPG (AS90/K9) is best for tracked formations ie ABCTs. The 14 x Archer is an interim solution to partly compensate for gifting 32? AS90 to UKR. Who knows if the Swedes (or the manufacturer, BAE Bofors) will sell… Read more »
Ah, the good old BAOR days. 3 SPG Regs per Division, 1 with M109, other two with Abbot. And the bigger M107s, M110s, and Lance at Corps level.
Silly question, but why didn’t they bring over more than one on a Point Class size vessel? Wouldn’t 2-4 at least be more useful, even for testing and a better use of the ships space?
I wondered if it was a point ship. Perhaps and this is a big guess that kit was being brought back from somewhere in the baltics so other stuff was on board.
If it was just a pick up job could have sent an A400/C17 or used a commercial ship.
Good! Let’s hope the acquisition of at least 2 x full Regiments of 18 guns each plus the 14 Reg training platforms are ordered soon. Bare minimum and more needed yet! The RA are the battle winners (wether we like it or not) as they provide the close support, depth fire, AD, ISTAR amongst other capabilities 👍
Agree, for me they should now be the main combat arm given how tech in Deep Fires is increasing.
Controversial. Artillery, no matter how accurate or lethal, can hold or seize ground – or guarantee to drive troops especially Infantry (dug-in and with good overhead cover) off ground.
Yes, I know, and you are right of course. Just my own, possibly mistaken belief based on the accuracy and range of these missiles and precision munitions these days. The RA also control the bigger tactical UAV’s in 47 and 32 RA.
And the fact that if the British Army does have something, it is well trained, effective Light Infantry. So we have that. The RA has been so neglected for so long I’d like to see it prioritised.
In WW2 the RA (soldier numbers) was 25% of the army. Now it is about 7-8%. Troop numbers are not everything but it does indicate an alarming trend. I agree that the RA should be prioritised.
It also states that it’s the
next-generation artillery.
Is it me or have they put the rear wheels on the wrong side?
I’ve got no real knowledge of the subject. But, hasn’t the Ukraine war taught us that howitzers are sitting ducks for counterfire and the preferred self-propelled artillery a better choice? So why spend money on short-term targets, unless you believe there is an imminent threat and you can’t wait??