UK and Germany, major contract for state-of-the-art mobile artillery. Lesson learned from the war in Ukraine
Howitzer KNDS RCH 155, in October 2025, at an event in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Credit: Friso Gentsch / DPA / Profimedia
The United Kingdom and Germany have signed a £52m (about €60m) contract for state-of-the-art military artillery, the government in London announced on Sunday.
The British government says it is military artillery that can be fired on the fly and can hit targets 70 km away.
“The war in Ukraine has demonstrated the importance of being able to fire and move quickly,” UK Minister for Defense Training and Industry Luke Pollard was quoted as saying in the government statement.
Under the deal, the UK military will initially receive a preliminary platform of the RCH 155 system, and two others will go to Germany for joint testing, the British government said.
London describes the RCH 155 as a long-term solution and said British forces currently operate 14 Archer artillery systems, a short-term replacement for AS90 guns donated to Ukraine.
According to the British side, the RCH 155 is mounted on a BOXER armored vehicle and can fire eight rounds per minute while traveling at speeds of up to 100 kilometers per hour. In addition, it can hit targets in any direction without repositioning, allows travel of 700 kilometers without refueling, and can be operated by only two people thanks to state-of-the-art automation.
“Unlike traditional artillery, which requires stopping and preparation before firing, this system fires on the move, making it faster and harder for adversaries to target,” the British government explained.
As part of the contract, the UK and Germany will share testing data and facilities.
