The UK has signed a £52 million contract with Germany for procurement of BOXER RCH 155 wheeled self-propelled howitzer demonstrators.
~
Press Release, Whitehall, 28 December 2025: [extracts] The UK has signed a £52 million contract with Germany for state-of-the-art military artillery.
Military artillery that can fire on the move and hit targets 70km away has been secured under a major £52 million contract between the UK and Germany. The deal means the UK will receive a cutting-edge Early Capability Demonstrator (ECD) platform of the RCH 155, with two more going to Germany for joint testing.
RCH 155 is a long-term solution for the British Army’s Mobile Fires Platform requirement. Soldiers currently operate the 14 Archer artillery systems, which are the short-term replacement for the AS90 guns gifted to Ukraine.
The RCH 155 is mounted on to a BOXER armoured vehicle and it can:
- Fire eight rounds per minute while moving at speeds up to 100km/h.
- Hit targets in any direction without repositioning.
- Travel 700km without refuelling – similar to the driving distance from Cornwall to Newcastle.
- Operate with only two crew members thanks to cutting-edge automation.
Unlike traditional artillery that needs to stop and set up before firing, this system shoots while on the move, making it faster and harder for adversaries to target.
Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, Luke Pollard MP said: “The British Army will soon have new artillery that can fire on the move. This builds on lessons from Ukraine enabling our Army to hit targets 70km away and move fast away from returning fire so they can fire again.”
As part of the contract, the UK and Germany will share test data and facilities, ensuring both nations get world-class equipment. This means both nations are accelerating procurement timelines whilst reducing costs – delivering better value for taxpayers and enhanced capability for both Armed Forces.
~
Editor’s Comment: Although the UK has now ordered demonstrators for testing, unlike Germany which has ordered 84 howitzers for Bundeswehr service, the British Government has given no indication yet if or when sufficient BOXER RCH 155 howitzers will be ordered to permanently fill the Royal Artillery’s capability gap or when these might be expected to go into service if ordered.
~ § ~
