The United Kingdom and Germany have signed a £52 million joint contract to acquire and test the RCH 155 wheeled self-propelled artillery system under a new Early Capability Demonstrator initiative. The agreement aims to accelerate artillery modernization while strengthening bilateral defense cooperation under the Trinity House framework.
Under the deal, the British Army will receive one RCH 155 prototype, while the German Army will operate two systems. The arrangement allows both nations to jointly evaluate performance, share technical data, and combine operational insights ahead of potential full-scale procurement decisions. Officials from both governments described the program as a significant step toward closer integration of land warfare capabilities.
The RCH 155 is a highly automated 155mm self-propelled howitzer mounted on the Boxer 8×8 wheeled armored chassis. Built around a 155mm L52 gun, the system can deliver precision fire at ranges of up to 70 kilometers using extended-range ammunition. For the British Army, the evaluation supports the Mobile Fires Platform program, which is intended to replace aging artillery systems with a modern, high-mobility solution.
Designed for fast-paced, networked combat, the RCH 155 features automated loading, an unmanned turret, and advanced fire-control systems that reduce crew workload and improve survivability. The system can engage targets within 60 seconds of stopping and rapidly relocate to avoid counter-battery fire. Its remote-operated turret, derived from Krauss-Maffei Wegmann’s Artillery Gun Module, supports multiple-round simultaneous impact firing, while the use of the Boxer platform ensures logistics commonality with the UK’s growing fleet of wheeled armored vehicles.
