- The United Kingdom has awarded a $70 million contract through OCCAR to ARTEC for production of 37 weapon systems for the RCH 155 artillery platform based on the Boxer vehicle.
- Part of the contract funds investment in Rheinmetall’s gun barrel manufacturing facility in Telford to support domestic production capability for large-caliber artillery systems.
The British Army has taken another step toward introducing its new long-range artillery capability after Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR) awarded a £53 million ($70 million) contract to ARTEC GmbH for the production of 37 weapon systems for the Remote Controlled Howitzer 155 (RCH 155).
The contract supports the British Army’s effort to field a new mobile artillery platform following the transfer of its AS90 self-propelled howitzers to Ukraine several years ago.
According to the announcement, the agreement covers the early production of key weapon components for the RCH 155 artillery system. The contract was awarded through OCCAR, which manages multinational defense programs for several European governments.
The procurement focuses on the system’s core weapon assembly, sometimes referred to as the “height adjustable mass.” This includes the gun barrel, muzzle brake, breech mechanism, recoil system, and trunnions that attach the weapon to the turret.
The RCH 155 system itself combines two main elements: the drive module of the Boxer armored vehicle and the Artillery Gun Module (AGM). The AGM consists of the turret and integrated artillery weapon system, allowing the platform to operate as a highly mobile self-propelled howitzer.
Of the £53 million contract value, approximately £30 million will support investment in a large-caliber gun barrel manufacturing facility operated by Rheinmetall in Telford, England. The facility, known as the Gun Hall, is expected to manufacture artillery barrels and related components for the RCH 155 program and other future systems.
The investment is expected to generate around 100 skilled jobs at the Telford site and support additional employment throughout the wider UK defense supply chain.
Officials said the goal is to establish the capability to manufacture large artillery barrels domestically, allowing the United Kingdom to maintain long-term production capacity for heavy gun systems.
Such production capability is considered increasingly important as many European militaries expand artillery forces following lessons from recent conflicts.
The RCH 155 is intended to serve as the British Army’s future Mobile Fires Platform, replacing the AS90 tracked howitzers that were transferred to Ukraine earlier in the war against Russia.
The system uses a remotely operated turret mounted on the Boxer armored vehicle chassis, allowing the crew to control the artillery system from within the protected vehicle hull.
According to program information, the RCH 155 can fire up to eight rounds per minute and reach targets at distances of up to 70 kilometers depending on the ammunition used.
The vehicle can move rapidly between firing positions, reducing its exposure to counter-battery fire. The platform can reportedly travel at speeds of up to 100 kilometers per hour and requires a crew of only two soldiers.
These features are intended to allow the system to deploy quickly, fire its weapons, and relocate before adversaries can identify and target its position.
The artillery program builds on the Trinity House Agreement signed by the United Kingdom and Germany in October 2024, which aims to deepen industrial and military cooperation between the two allies.
Brigadier Toby Lambert, Head of International, Industry and Prosperity at Army Headquarters, said the contract represents progress for both the Army and Britain’s defense manufacturing base.
“This contract is really great news – not only for our soldiers, but for the UK’s ever-increasing industrial base,” Lambert said.
“It demonstrates a strengthening of our supply chains and delivers on our commitments made in the Trinity House Agreement with our close ally, Germany.”
Lambert added that the program could generate wider benefits for the UK defense sector.
“The second order impacts of this award are far-reaching: the creation of high-skilled jobs combined with the drive for continued innovation will undoubtedly stimulate further investment in Defence. This demonstrates another key step towards the Army’s continual modernisation programme, preparing our soldiers for the future fight.”
The RCH 155 system represents a new generation of automated artillery platforms now being developed across several NATO countries.
Compared with traditional self-propelled howitzers, these systems rely on automated loading mechanisms, digital fire-control systems, and wheeled armored vehicles to increase mobility and reduce crew requirements.