Ukraine will receive the first RCH 155 self-propelled artillery systems later than expected

Ukraine will receive the first German Boxer RCH 155 self-propelled artillery systems no earlier than the end of next year.

Axel Scheibel, Head of the KNDS Development Department, shared this with Spiegel journalists.

The journalists visited the German Altenhrabov military training ground, where the German RCH 155 wheeled self-propelled artillery system is being state tested, and interviewed KNDS representatives.

“The new Boxer RCH 155 has not yet been delivered, but production is already underway. The first systems are due to be delivered at the end of next year. The first customer will be Ukraine,” Scheibel stated.

Previously, the first self-propelled artillery systems were to be delivered in the first quarter of 2024, and the delivery was expected to be completed in 2025.

In January of this year, Militarnyi reported that Krauss Maffei Wegmann (now KNDS) had started production of the RCH 155 for Ukraine.

Ukraine became the first customer of these wheeled self-propelled artillery systems in the amount of 18 units. The German Federal Government funded the purchase, worth €216 million.

RCH 155

RCH 155 (Remote Controlled Howitzer 155) is developed on the chassis of the GTK Boxer wheeled armored personnel carrier with an 8×8 wheel arrangement. It was created by the German company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW).

The system has an automated AGM turret artillery module with a German PzH 2000 self-propelled howitzer artillery unit. The length of the gun barrel is 52 caliber.

Since the AGM module is autonomous, the RCH 155 combat crew consists of only two operators. The ammunition of the AGM module is 30 rounds.

The manufacturer stated that the firing range is 40 km, and it is up to 52 km with V-LAP projectiles. The self-propelled guns are also capable of using VULCANO and EXCALIBUR long-range projectiles.

The full weight of the ACS is 39 tons, and the weight of the AGM module is 12.5 tons. The system is equipped with an MTU 815 hp diesel engine.