The UK and Germany have agreed to co-develop the Boxer RCH 155, a new artillery system to address the British Army’s Mobile Fires Platform (MFP) requirement.
The program seeks to procure a new 155 mm self-propelled artillery system to replace aging AS90 self-propelled howitzers, which have been in service since 1992. The Army plans to acquire 116 systems.
The program was accelerated in early 2023 with a goal of fielding a system before the end of the decade as opposed to the early 2030s. This was confirmed in a recent release by the British Army, which stated that the new RCH 155 systems will enter service this decade.
The RCH 155 is a marriage of two European programs: the modular Boxer 8×8 chassis, built by the ARTEC consortium, serves as the foundation. Mounted on this base is an Artillery Gun Module, developed by KNDS Deutschland (formerly Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW)). This module itself is based on the German Army’s PzH 2000 self-propelled howitzer, bringing its 155mm punch to a wheeled platform.
Competitors for the MFP requirement reportedly included Hanwha Defense’s Team Thunder with its K9A2 self-propelled howitzer, Nexter’s CAESAR 8×8 SPH, BAE Systems Archer, and Rheinmetall with an HX3 10×10 truck carrying a remote-controlled artillery turret.
A military history enthusiast, Richard began his career at Forecast International as editor of the World Weapons Weekly newsletter. As the Internet became central to defense research, he helped design the company’s Forecast Intelligence Center and now coordinates the FI Market Recap newsletters for clients. He also manages two blogs: Defense & Security Monitor, which covers defense systems and international security issues, and Flight Plan, focused on commercial aviation and space systems.
For more than 30 years, Richard has authored Defense & Aerospace Companies, Volume I (North America) and Volume II (International), providing detailed data on major aerospace and defense contractors. He also edits the International Contractors service, a database tracking all companies involved in programs covered by the FI library. Richard currently serves as Manager of the Information Services Group (ISG), which develops outbound content for both Forecast International and Military Periscope.
