RCH 155
| RCH 155 | |
|---|---|
 RCH 155 in the field [1] | |
| Type | Self-propelled artillery |
| Place of origin | Germany |
| Service history | |
| Used by | See operators below |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Krauss-Maffei Wegmann |
| Designed | 2014 - 2024 |
| Manufacturer | Krauss-Maffei Wegmann |
| Unit cost | €12 million [note 1] |
| Produced | Since 2022 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | <39.0 t |
| Length | 10.40 m (34 ft 1 in) |
| Width | 2.99 m (9 ft 10 in) |
| Height | 3.60 m (10 ft) |
| Crew | 2 (commander and driver) |
| Caliber | 155 mm caliber L/52 |
| Elevation | -2.5° to + 65° |
| Traverse | 360° (with up to 6 modular charges) |
| Rate of fire | Up to 9 rounds per minute |
| Effective firing range | 40 km base bleed round 54 km V-LAP (Velocity-enhanced Long-range Artillery Projectile) |
Main armament | Rheinmetall artillery gun |
Secondary armament | Optional remote-controlled weapon station |
| Engine | MTU 8V199 TE21 Up to 816 hp (600 kW) |
| Power/weight | 20.9 hp/t (20 kW/t) at maximum weight |
| Payload capacity | 30 fused rounds |
| Suspension | Double-wishbone coil springs and shock absorber |
Operational range | 700 km (400 mi) (road) |
| Maximum speed | 103 km/h (60 mph) (road) |
The RCH 155 (Remote Controlled Howitzer 155 mm) is a wheeled self-propelled howitzer developed by Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (now known as KNDS Deutschland), a German defence company.
The RCH 155 Module takes the firepower and the range of the
The intention of Krauss-Maffei Wegmann with this system was to create the ideal combination of artillery automation and protected wheeled mobility. [3]
Origin
Although very similar to the AGM, the RCH-155 module has a lower profile.[4] The AGM (known in German as Artillerie-Geschütz-Modul) was designed to have the firepower of the PzH 2000 in an air-portable package with the A400M aircraft this was possible when installed on an ASCOD-2 platform (known as the DONAR).
In 2014 with interest in installing the AGM on the Boxer[5], questions arose regarding its capacity to meet this requirement. KMW produced a modified variant of the AGM in 2021, the RCH 155. The RCH 155 has a turret with a significantly lower profile.[4][6] As of 2024, two variants of the RCH 155 exist, one installed on the Boxer, and another installed on the Mowag Piranha IV 10×10.[6]
Description
The RCH 155 features a crew of two, commander and driver. They are protected against fire from heavy machine guns up to 14.5 mm and artillery fragments. In addition, protection exists against tank- and anti-personnel mines.
The system is equipped with an (optional) secondary weapon station, a
The combat load is 30 projectiles with fuze and 144 modular propellants. The fuze programming is inductive during the loading process. The cadence is 9 rounds per minute.
The RCH 155 is capable of firing basically all 155 mm projectiles compatible with the Joint Ballistics Memorandum of Understanding (JBMOU) of NATO.
The range is up to 40 kilometres for
The Multiple Rounds Simultaneous Impacts (MRSI) mode of operation is possible. In this mode, the trajectories and times of the projectiles are modified by elevation of the barrel and number of propellant charges in such a way that several shots fired in succession hit the target almost simultaneously in order to achieve the greatest possible effect before the enemy can take evasive action.
The gun turret's aiming range is 360 degrees (maximum to the 6th propellant charge module) and the barrel elevation is -2.5 to + 65 degrees. The
Special features
The RCH 155 is the world's first howitzer that can fire on the move.[9] This is mainly to avoid enemy counter-artillery fire, as modern Counter-battery radars such as COBRA can be used to reconnoitre fire positions after firing in near real-time.
In addition, RCH 155 has the so-called
RCH 155 is highly automated and designed to later drive and shoot remotely and without requiring a crew.
Operators
Future operators
- On 17 September 2022 it was announced that Ukraine will purchase 18 Boxer RCH-155 for €216m, funded from German aid.[11] As of November 2023 information, the delivery of the RCH-155 would be possible only at earliest from the end of 2024.[12] In February 2024, during a Munich Conference for Ukraine support, Germany added 18 additional RCH-155 to the planned support.[13]
- On 24 April 2024, the UK announced its selection of the RCH-155 for the British Army's Mobile Fires Platform programme, as a successor for the AS-90.[14][15] The vehicles will be built in both Germany and the UK with over 100 UK-based suppliers manufacturing components.[16] The platform will consist of the Remote-Controlled Howitzer 155mm (RCH 155) weapon module fitted to the rear half of the Boxer mechanised infantry vehicle (MIV) and will be in service with the Royal Artillery by the end of the decade.[17]
Potential operators
German Army (up to 168)
- As part of the program "Zukünftiges System Indirektes Feuer mittlere Reichweite" (ZukSysIndF mRw), the German army is looking for a wheeled artillery system with a calibre 155mm L/52. The deliveries are expected to take place from 2026 to 2031.[18][19] The 2 competitors are the RCH-155 and the Artillery Truck Interface by Rheinmetall. But according to some rumours in October 2023, the RCH-155 was mentioned as the winner of the competition as the option from Rheinmetall is in development and is not yet mature.[20] The objective is for 168 systems, though, 120 are more likely, but even that number might be short as the budget mentioned is only €1.3 to €1.4 billion.[21]
- The Swiss Army is selecting a successor to the M109 KAWEST WE as part of the "Artillerie Wirkplattform und Wirkmittel 2026" program. Trials are taking place in 2023-24, and the winner between the RCH-155 and the BAE Bofors Archer will be announced in 2025.[22] The RCH-155 is offered on 2 platforms, the Boxer A3 and the Mowag Piranha IV 10×10, and the Archer is based on the Rheinmetall HX2 8×8.
Footnotes
References
- ^ url=https://www.artec-boxer.com/fileadmin/documents/DB_RCH_155.pdf
- ^ https://defence-industry.eu/germany-agrees-to-sell-rch-155-self-propelled-howitzers-to-ukraine/
- ^ "RCH 155 - KNDS". www.knds.de. Retrieved 2024-04-25.
- ^ a b "Video: Neue RCH 155 Version von KMW im scharfen Schuss". soldat-und-technik.de (in German). 2021-07-16. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
- ^ "Eurosatory: KMW unveils AGM-mounted Boxer | Shephard". www.shephardmedia.com. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
- ^ a b "10x10-Radhaubitze: Artillery Gun Module auf Piranha-IV-Plattform" (in German). 2024-04-15. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
- ^ "RCH 155 overview sheet for Eurosatory 2022" (PDF).
- ^ "Artillery Competence RCH 155®".
- ^ Hoffmann, Lars (20 August 2021). "Radhaubitze RCH 155 - KMW shows firing on the move for the first time".
- ^ "Video: KMW equips RCH 155 wheeled howitzer with hunter-killer capability". 26 August 2021.
- ^ "RCH 155 SPH For Ukraine". European Security & Defense. 20 September 2022. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
- ^ "Ukraine will receive the first RCH 155 self-propelled artillery systems later than expected". Militarnyi. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
- ^ "Military support for Ukraine | Federal Government". Website of the Federal Government | Bundesregierung. 2024-02-16. Retrieved 2024-02-18.
- ^ Chuter, Andrew (2023-12-11). "Babcock, Rheinmetall UK join BAE push for British Army's howitzer". Defense News. Retrieved 2024-03-18.
- ^ "Britain to purchase Boxer-based RCH155 artillery systems". UK Defence Journal. 24 April 2024. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
- GOV.UK. 24 April 2024. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
- ^ Thomas, Richard (2024-04-24). "German RCH 155 artillery selected for British Army's Mobile Fires Platform". Army Technology. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
- ^ Valpolini, Paolo (2021-05-28). "Future Artillery Conference: Germany details future acquisitions". EDR Magazine. Retrieved 2023-05-20.
- ^ "Radhaubitze – Deutsches Heer soll RCH 155 von KMW erhalten". soldat-und-technik.de (in German). 2023-10-19. Retrieved 2023-10-22.
- ^ "Radhaubitze – Deutsches Heer soll RCH 155 von KMW erhalten". soldat-und-technik.de (in German). 2023-10-19. Retrieved 2023-10-22.
- ^ "Radhaubitze – Deutsches Heer soll RCH 155 von KMW erhalten". soldat-und-technik.de (in German). 2023-10-19. Retrieved 2023-10-22.
- ^ Editorial, Defense Brief (2022-08-11). "BAE's Archer, KMW's RCH 155 emerge as finalists in Swiss howitzer program". Defense Brief. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
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