The United Kingdom and Germany have signed a £52 million joint contract to procure and test the RCH 155 wheeled 155mm artillery system under a new Early Capability Demonstrator (ECD) initiative, aimed at accelerating land-forces modernization and strengthening bilateral defense cooperation under the Trinity House agreement.
Both governments confirmed that the agreement will see the UK receive one prototype system while Germany fields two units, enabling the two armies to share test results, technical insights, and operational feedback as they assess the system for potential future acquisition. The collaborative approach is intended to shorten development timelines while aligning artillery requirements between the two NATO partners.
For the British Army, the RCH 155 represents a key step toward modernizing its artillery fleet and supports the longer-term objectives of the Mobile Fires Platform program, which seeks to replace legacy systems. The RCH 155 combines a 155mm L52 gun with the Boxer 8×8 wheeled chassis, creating a highly mobile, automated artillery platform capable of engaging targets at ranges of up to 70 kilometers using extended-range munitions.
Designed for networked and high-tempo operations, the RCH 155 features automated loading, an unmanned turret, and advanced fire-control systems that reduce crew size while increasing survivability. The system can deliver fire within 60 seconds of stopping and rapidly relocate to avoid counter-battery threats, while its ability to fire on the move offers a significant capability advantage in contested environments.
The remotely operated turret, derived from Krauss-Maffei Wegmann’s Artillery Gun Module (AGM), houses an automated magazine holding 30 rounds and supports multiple-round simultaneous impact (MRSI) missions. Integration on the Boxer platform provides logistical commonality with existing British Army fleets, enhancing deployability and sustainment across Europe and expeditionary operations.
