UK Secures Cutting-Edge Mobile Artillery Capability in £52 Million RCH 155 Deal with Germany
London and Berlin deepen defence cooperation to field a next-generation self-propelled artillery system with enhanced mobility and firepower
The United Kingdom has secured a major advance in its ground combat capabilities by signing a £52 million contract with Germany for the procurement of the advanced Remote-Controlled Howitzer 155 mm (RCH 155) mobile artillery system, marking a significant step in rebuilding and modernising the British Army’s fires capability.
The agreement, concluded under a bilateral defence cooperation framework, will see the UK receive an Early Capability Demonstrator (ECD) of the RCH 155, while two additional platforms will be delivered to Germany for shared testing and evaluation.
The procurement reflects a broader strategic effort to replace ageing artillery and respond to contemporary battlefield requirements.
The RCH 155, mounted on a Boxer armoured vehicle, represents a generational leap from traditional towed and static guns by combining rapid, precise firepower with high tactical mobility.
Capable of firing up to eight rounds per minute while on the move and engaging targets at ranges of up to seventy kilometres, the system can operate at speeds of up to one hundred kilometres per hour and relocate swiftly — a capability shaped directly by operational lessons from the war in Ukraine, where artillery firepower and mobility have proven decisive.
Modern automation allows the RCH 155 to function with a crew of two, increasing efficiency and survivability on the battlefield.
This procurement is part of the British Army’s Mobile Fires Platform programme, designed to give the force a long-term artillery solution to succeed interim systems such as the Archer howitzer, which were introduced after the UK donated its AS90 guns to Ukraine.
Defence officials emphasise that the RCH 155 will bolster the army’s capacity to provide sustained, responsive fire support across a spectrum of operations, from high-intensity conflict to deterrence roles within NATO.
The joint procurement with Germany underlines a deepening of defence ties between the two allies, building on the Trinity House agreement of October 2024 that committed both countries to enhanced military collaboration.
Beyond immediate battlefield advantages, the programme carries industrial and strategic implications.
Shared procurement and testing arrangements will help accelerate capability delivery while achieving cost efficiencies and strengthening interoperability within NATO’s collective defence architecture.
Officials also note that the cooperation supports skilled employment and defence sector innovation in both countries.
The RCH 155 is expected to enter British service later this decade, with further units anticipated as the Mobile Fires Platform programme matures and delivers a more robust artillery fleet for the future.
The agreement, concluded under a bilateral defence cooperation framework, will see the UK receive an Early Capability Demonstrator (ECD) of the RCH 155, while two additional platforms will be delivered to Germany for shared testing and evaluation.
The procurement reflects a broader strategic effort to replace ageing artillery and respond to contemporary battlefield requirements.
The RCH 155, mounted on a Boxer armoured vehicle, represents a generational leap from traditional towed and static guns by combining rapid, precise firepower with high tactical mobility.
Capable of firing up to eight rounds per minute while on the move and engaging targets at ranges of up to seventy kilometres, the system can operate at speeds of up to one hundred kilometres per hour and relocate swiftly — a capability shaped directly by operational lessons from the war in Ukraine, where artillery firepower and mobility have proven decisive.
Modern automation allows the RCH 155 to function with a crew of two, increasing efficiency and survivability on the battlefield.
This procurement is part of the British Army’s Mobile Fires Platform programme, designed to give the force a long-term artillery solution to succeed interim systems such as the Archer howitzer, which were introduced after the UK donated its AS90 guns to Ukraine.
Defence officials emphasise that the RCH 155 will bolster the army’s capacity to provide sustained, responsive fire support across a spectrum of operations, from high-intensity conflict to deterrence roles within NATO.
The joint procurement with Germany underlines a deepening of defence ties between the two allies, building on the Trinity House agreement of October 2024 that committed both countries to enhanced military collaboration.
Beyond immediate battlefield advantages, the programme carries industrial and strategic implications.
Shared procurement and testing arrangements will help accelerate capability delivery while achieving cost efficiencies and strengthening interoperability within NATO’s collective defence architecture.
Officials also note that the cooperation supports skilled employment and defence sector innovation in both countries.
The RCH 155 is expected to enter British service later this decade, with further units anticipated as the Mobile Fires Platform programme matures and delivers a more robust artillery fleet for the future.
