Britain expects to place a full production contract for its next-generation Mobile Fires Platform artillery system in the coming months, the Ministry of Defence has said, as negotiations with the supplier continue.
In a written parliamentary answer published on 9 February, Defence Minister Luke Pollard said the department was working to conclude talks as soon as possible.
“On current plans, the Department intends to place the full production contract for the Mobile Fires Platform in the coming months,” Pollard said. “Negotiations with the supplier are ongoing, and the Department is making every effort to bring these to a positive conclusion at the earliest opportunity.”
The Mobile Fires Platform (MFP) is the British Army’s programme to replace the AS-90 self-propelled howitzer and restore a modern artillery capability after years of delay and shrinking stocks.
The chosen system is the 155mm Remote Controlled Howitzer (RCH 155), developed in partnership with Germany and mounted on the Boxer armoured vehicle chassis. The weapon uses an automated artillery gun module derived from the German PzH 2000 system and is designed to deliver rapid fire support with reduced crew exposure.
The RCH 155 is intended to provide the British Army with a high-mobility artillery platform capable of firing while moving, a feature designed to improve survivability against counter-battery fire in high-intensity conflict. It is expected to fire up to nine rounds per minute and strike targets at ranges of around 40 kilometres, depending on ammunition type.
The UK previously bought 14 Archer self-propelled guns from Sweden as an interim capability to help cover the gap left by AS-90’s retirement.
In other news the sun still rises in the east and sets in the west!
Wonder how many they are planning to buy. See tracked is also mentioned is that correct? Thought it was just wheeled.
I can’t find any mention of tracks when searching for the mobile fires platform program, other than in this article.
Army Technology were guessing a figure of 200 to 240 for the British Army. That number is based on the reported total joint German and UK buy of 400, with Germany purchasing 160. I find it really hard to believe we will buy that many though. More like 100 given the current ORBAT.
Seems completely fantastical to imagine us buying more than the Germans considering they are effectively on the front line of any invasion and we are an island off the west coast of Europe who would be in a support position to any such invasion certainly initially.
Agreed that us having more than Germany makes no military sense.
“In the coming months.” FFS.
In the coming months after 2029 I should imagine, or the premature expiration of this government, whichever comes first!
The UK’s MFP requirement is officially wheeled only.
A tracked RCH 155 demonstrator was unveiled by KNDS last year. The idea itself had existed on paper for a long time, but this was the first time it was shown as a physical vehicle.
The company has been quite explicit that the tracked version is being positioned for the US Army’s future M109 replacement competition, but as of now it is not in production, not in service, and has no orders.
I noticed that as well, “restore a modern tracked and wheeled artillery capability”. Definitely suggests a tracked version which is the first time I have read any such suggestion. Typo on George’s part..? Would be good if we were buying a tracked version, highly unlikely, but there has been a proposal for a tracked version of Boxer…
Cheers CR
Bought blooming time
So German defence industry benefits from the UK (££££) again. Wonder what happens in the mud/snow/sand, unless they also go for tracked version?
I’m sure Labour will put all 10 of them to good use
🙂 This time there will be more. 1 RHA and 19 RA need equipping, and hopefully 4 RA as well. That’s 60 to 100 guns depending on Battery size. AS90 Batteries were of 8, but Light Gun Batteries are 6 in peacetime. So it’s either 3×8 or 3×6 x3 plus examples for training at RSA/14RA, trials at the RATDU and some spares.
You’d hope they are at least 8 gun Batteries and MoD don’t do their usual more with less tricks but you never know.
The MOD is diving into a full production contract ?
So is this system fully tested ?
Is the Army happy with RCH155 as a choice ?
Who knows Sunak signed us up to this without any competition with anything else!
And how long until they enter service, the problem is we need something now, as a stop gap.
We have a stop gap, the 14 Archers.
Nowhere near enough of course but the only part of the RA potentially engaged at present is the Cabrit commitment and 1 RHA and 19RA rotate into that.
Meanwhile, HMG decided to gap wider 155mm capability.
Agreed, not enough.
Therein lays the problem! Spend shed loads of money to get more Archers as a stop gap? The logic then is if it’s good enough as a stop gap then it’s good enough to be THE gun for the RA!
So we’re going to order now and the trial the one we know about in 2027? So the point of the trial is?
Very good question, did seem strange timing even before we knew of this order for large numbers as examples already exist to test. As I pondered then I can only presume it will be to gain further specialist experience to spread into the adoption process and if anything is learned it can potentially be fed into later models off the production line. But still seems somewhat conflicting in reality.
This was stated in an earlier article that the MoD is ‘compressing’ the process. My guess is that the trials will run parallel to the initial production batch with with any issues sorted either during production and then retrofitted to units already delivered. It is not unusual to constantly improve an engineering product throughout its production life. Issues with production complexity, reliability or just plane ‘saleability’ and more can all influence design changes. I have implemented design modes in the past myself… design drawings can have very long lists of changes made over the years.
Anything major becomes a Capability Insert Program, not ideal perhaps but it gets something that is hopefully good enough to the frontline and we all know just how short of guns the RA is!
Cheers CR
To test all the things the Germans already have, as well as all the extras that ensure health and safety in case anyone gets hurt by the projectile as the it lands. I forgot that the drinks machine works ok for visiting MP’s.
Do you think we should slow the procurement down so we do a full trials cycle followed by production?
Aims to sign… Shouldn’t this be signed pronto? Or is it waiting for the April Fools DIP publication?
Agreeing the price and which components will be made and / or assembled in the UK, I expect.
The article got my hopes up for a minute with the mention of tracked guns.
Of course we need tracked field artillery to keep up with the combat brigades cross-country. The only reason we are going for this wheeled Boxer gun is it’s a couple of million cheaper than a proper tracked howitzer. The wheeled Boxer whizzing down the autobahn will be a magnet for enemy overwatch and fire.
The normal battery battery size is 6 guns, the AS-90’s 8-gun batteries were an aberration apparently. Doubt we will equip more than 3 regiments, to support 12, 20 and maybe 7 brigades. So 3 x 18 plus maybe 8-10 for trials and training would give as an order of around 62-64. If we still buy war reserves, as we always used to, add on 25%, so maybe 80 in total would be my best guess.
Do they have to be called ‘Mobile Fires Platforms’, what was wrong with ‘Field Artillery’? Giving it an ever-changing US army pseudo technical name or contrived acronym doesn’t make it fire further or anything useful.
Apparenty these buggers are going to fire on the move, so ‘mobile fires’ seem to make sense…
Let’s hope for 100 of them, don’t be surprised if GCAP forced cuts, don’t get rid of Chally3. Somone in the MoD will probably make the case that these can ‘sort of’ do the job of an MBT, if you squint in the dark, on a foggy night and hope for the best!