OCCAR has awarded a £53m ($70m) contract to Artec for the long-lead production of 37 weapon systems for the British Army’s RCH 155 artillery.
The contract covers procurement of the weapon systems, including the barrel, muzzle brake, breech, recoil system and trunnions.
The Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR) has awarded a £53m ($70m) contract to Artec for the long-lead production of 37 weapon systems for the British Army’s Remote Controlled Howitzer (RCH) 155.
Artec a joint venture between KNDS Germany and Rheinmetall responsible for the Boxer development programme.
The latest agreement covers the acquisition of key weapon system components, described as the ‘height adjustable mass’ and including the barrel, muzzle brake, breech, recoil system and trunnions necessary for mounting to the turret.
As part of the deal, £30m will fund the development of Rheinmetall’s large calibre gun barrel manufacturing facility, known as the Gun Hall, located in Telford.
This initiative is projected to create around 100 skilled positions within the facility, with further roles supported across the broader UK supply chain.
The investment aims to provide operational independence in gun barrel production and establish long-term domestic capability for large calibre barrels.
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British Army HQ International, Industry and Prosperity head Brig Toby Lambert said: “This contract is really great news – not only for our soldiers, but for the UK’s ever-increasing industrial base. It demonstrates a strengthening of our supply chains and delivers on our commitments made in the Trinity House Agreement with our close ally, Germany.
“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 is intended to serve as the British Army’s Mobile Fires Platform (MFP), replacing AS90 howitzers previously transferred to Ukraine three years ago.
The Boxer-based vehicle integrates an automatic and remotely operated artillery gun module (AGM) and can deliver eight rounds per minute at ranges up to 70km depending on ammunition type.
It requires only two crew members, can be deployed within seconds and reaches speeds up to 100km/h.
This latest contract follows a £52m agreement signed in December for three RCH 155 Early Capability Demonstrator vehicles for joint testing with Germany. It builds upon cooperation established under the Trinity House Agreement between both countries, signed in October 2024.
In December last year, Germany’s Bundeswehr placed an order with KNDS Deutschland via Artec for 84 RCH 155 wheeled howitzers in a deal worth approximately €1.2bn ($1.4bn), which also includes training equipment as well as service and logistical support.
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