New artillery systems will transform British Army and support defence jobs

The RCH 155 is a next generation mobile Howitzer

The procurement of 72 Remote Controlled Howitzers (RCH 155) for the British Army will deliver a step change in artillery capability.

The UK’s £1 billion investment delivers on the UK-Germany Trinity House Agreement, and supports at least 500 British jobs, including at Rheinmetall’s Telford facility and KNDS Stockport.

Rheinmetall is set to use British steel through Sheffield Forgemasters, strengthening the UK’s defence industrial base and supporting the UK Steel Strategy.

72 Remote Controlled Howitzers (RCH 155) will be procured under a nearly £1 billion contract, which includes initial training and in-service support, awarded by the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR) on behalf of the British Army to ARTEC GmbH, a joint venture between KNDS and Rheinmetall.

The weapon systems – the barrel, breech, recoil system and trunnions – will be manufactured at Rheinmetall’s large-calibre production Telford facility.

The BOXER drive module – chassis, engine, drive train – that the weapon system sits on will be manufactured by KNDS UK in Stockport, sustaining critical armoured steel welding in Britain as well as supporting 100 skilled jobs in Stockport. Together, the programme is expected to support the creation of 100 new skilled jobs at Rheinmetall’s Telford facility, support 100 jobs at KNDS Stockport and back 300 jobs in the wider UK supply chain.

The programme delivers on the Trinity House Agreement by strengthening UK-German collaboration and deepening interoperability between Allied forces.

Defence Secretary John Healey MP said: “This major investment is defence delivering for the battlefield and for Britain’s economy. By securing next-generation artillery with Germany, not only are we rearming to strengthen NATO against growing Russian aggression but also creating highly skilled jobs here in Britain. This is what we mean when we say defence is an engine for growth – investment in our security that powers new jobs across the country.”

German Federal Minister of Defence, Boris Pistorius, added: “The RCH 155 will significantly enhance the artillery’s firepower, safety and flexibility. It is a vital element of modern artillery support. Together with the United Kingdom, we are demonstrating that we take interoperability within NATO seriously and are putting it into practice.

The RCH 155 can redeploy at speeds of up to 100km/h, making it harder for adversaries to target. Advanced automation of the turret allows the platform to be operated at the push of a button from the crew compartment by just two soldiers.

First deliveries of the RCH 155 vehicles are expected in 2028 to achieve a minimum deployable capability within this decade. This contract follows the £52 million Early Capability Demonstrator contract signed in December 2025 and a £53 million Long Lead Item procurement contract earlier this year, facilitating Rheinmetall’s large calibre gun manufacturing facility in Telford.

The RCH 155 replaces the AS90 artillery systems granted in kind to Ukraine in 2023.

Pic credit: Krauss-Maffei Wegmann GmbH & Co.