As part of a build up of long-range fires capabilities the German Bundeswehr is seeking to expand its current four-unit structure up to a nine-strong force, newly revealed to comprise 160 mobile 155mm artillery, 110 tracked PzH 2000 155mm howitzers, and around 100 multiple launch rocket systems.
Information disclosed at DefenceIQ’s International Armoured Vehicle (IAV) event outlined the ambition of the German Army as it restructures in response to the Ukraine-Russia war from counterinsurgency and light rapid response into a full-spectrum land domain capability.
Key to this is the long-range fires, with the stated preference for a Boxer-based solution for the mobile artillery requirement virtually confirming the RCH 155 system. In 2024, Germany and the UK signed an agreement to co-develop the RCH 155 mobile artillery, which integrates a 155mm artillery module onto the Boxer chassis.
Boxer is widely operated by the German military, and the UK is also beginning to integrate the platform into the British Army, with the first UK-built unit on display at the IAV event.
In practice, the RCH 155 is already far along its development path, with the UK likely looking to add specific command and control systems, as well as a significant financial contribution.
Ukraine recently received its first RCH 155 artillery system, the only other customer for the platform, out of a planned 54-unit buy.
The disclosure of Bundeswehr plans also provides details as to the number of RCH 155 the British Army could be looking for, following the UK-German agreement specifically stating a joint procurement of up to 400 units. This means a UK buy is likely to be for around 240 units of the RCH 155 artillery.
Earlier analysis by Army Technology indicated that any UK acquisition could be for around 200 units of the RCH 155 artillery system.
Detailing the intention to acquire the RCH 155 platform in April 2024, senior UK officials from the then Conservative government subsequently said that the joint UK-Germany programme was “potentially worth upwards of £3 billion” and marked “a step change towards a deeper industrial and wider defence relationship between the UK and Germany”.
Global artillery market to show moderate growth
Analysis conducted by GlobalData indicates the global artillery systems market, valued at $11.4bn in 2024, was forecast to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 4.3% to reach $17.3bn by 2034.
In addition, the cumulative market for global artillery systems was anticipated to be valued at $158.1bn over the forecast period.
Among causes for the growth of systems has been the importance of long-range fires capability in the ongoing war in Ukraine, which has seen the most sustained use of artillery in Europe since World War II.
