Munich. European land systems giant KNDS has officially declared its RCH 155 self-propelled Howitzer the most advanced artillery platform in the world. The proclamation comes on the heels of a massive procurement victory, with the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence solidifying a modernisation contract to equip the British Army with the cutting-edge wheeled weapon systems.
Under the newly finalised agreement, KNDS is slated to deliver a total of 72 RCH 155 wheeled Howitzers to the UK. The platform integrates the automated, unmanned Artillery Gun Module (AGM) – a direct evolutionary step from the combat-proven PzH 2000 – onto the highly adaptable BOXER 8×8 armoured vehicle chassis.
According to KNDS, the RCH 155 holds a unique distinction in global defence tech: it is currently the only artillery system in existence capable of executing full combat firing operations while remaining in motion. This “fire-on-the-move” capability radically diminishes a crew’s vulnerability to enemy counter-battery radar and incoming strikes. Despite its heavy firepower, the highly automated turret allows the entire system to be operated by a crew of just two soldiers, nestled safely inside one of the world’s best-protected wheeled armoured hulls.
The multi-million-pound contract was formally funneled through OCCAR (the Organisation Conjointe de Coopération en matière d’Armement) via ARTEC, a joint venture between KNDS Deutschland and Rheinmetall Landsysteme.
The procurement marks a significant milestone in a broader Anglo-German defence alignment. In December 2025, Berlin and London signed a bi-national framework agreement to officially qualify the RCH 155 for joint operational use, paving the way for seamless tactical interoperability on NATO’s eastern flank.
“The United Kingdom is definitely one of our most important BOXER customers and is also a significant location for manufacturing the systems,” said Florian Hohenwarter, Chief Executive Officer of KNDS Deutschland. “Scaling up KNDS’s production capacity in the UK plays a crucial role in equipping all our BOXER customers and thus Europe’s defence capabilities.”
With more than 2,000 BOXER platforms already under contract across global militaries – including Germany, the Netherlands, Lithuania, Qatar, Australia, and Ukraine – the addition of the RCH 155 configuration establishes a formidable baseline for standardising European land warfare infrastructure. For the British Army, the upcoming deliveries will yield a profound leap forward in survivability, operational mobility, and deep-strike theatre capability.
