RCH 155

The RCH 155 (Remote Controlled Howitzer 155 mm) is a wheeled self-propelled howitzer developed by Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (now known as KNDS Deutschland), a German defence company.

The RCH 155 Module takes the firepower and the range of the PzH 2000 by using its gun (155 mm L/52), and combines it with an automated and remotely controlled gun module.

The intention of Krauss-Maffei Wegmann with this system was to create the ideal combination of artillery automation and protected wheeled mobility.

Origin
The RCH-155 module is very similar to the Artillery Gun Module (AGM, Artillerie-Geschütz-Modul), but has a lower profile. The AGM was designed to have the firepower of the PzH 2000 in an air-portable package with the A400M aircraft this was possible when installed on an ASCOD-2 platform (known as the DONAR).

In 2014 with interest in installing the AGM on the Boxer, questions arose regarding its capacity to meet this requirement. KMW produced a modified variant of the AGM in 2021, the RCH 155. The RCH 155 has a turret with a significantly lower profile. As of 2024, two variants of the RCH 155 exist, one installed on the Boxer, and another installed on the Mowag Piranha IV 10×10.

Description
The RCH 155 features a crew of two, commander and driver. They are protected against fire from heavy machine guns up to 14.5 mm and artillery fragments. There is also protection against anti-tank and anti-personnel mines. The system is equipped with an (optional) secondary weapon station, a smoke grenade launcher and an NBC protection and ventilation system.

The combat load is 30 projectiles with fuze and 144 modular propellants. The fuze programming is inductive during the loading process. The cadence is 9 rounds per minute.

The RCH 155 is capable of firing basically all 155 mm projectiles compatible with the Joint Ballistics Memorandum of Understanding (JBMOU) of NATO. The range is up to 40 kilometres for base-bleeds, up to 54 kilometres for (V-LAP shells), and further for  and M982 Excalibur.

The Multiple Rounds Simultaneous Impacts (MRSI) mode of operation is possible. In this mode, the trajectories and times of the projectiles are modified by elevation of the barrel and number of propellant charges in such a way that several shots fired in succession hit the target almost simultaneously in order to achieve the greatest possible effect before the enemy can take evasive action.

The gun turret's aiming range is 360 degrees (maximum to the 6th propellant charge module) and the barrel elevation is -2.5 to + 65 degrees. The ground clearance is 0.5 metres, the turning radius is 21 metres, the maximum climb is 0.7 metres, the ditch crossing ability is 2.0 metres, the maximum fording depth is 1.2 metres, the maximum gradeability is 60 percent and the highest cross slope is 30 percent. RCH 155 is powered by a diesel engine of the type 8V 199TE20/21 made by MTU Friedrichshafen. The on-board voltage is 24 volts at a maximum of 540 amps.

Special features
The RCH 155 is the world's first howitzer that can fire while in motion. This is mainly to avoid enemy counter-artillery fire, as modern counter-battery radars such as COBRA can be used to reconnoitre fire positions after firing in near real-time.

In addition, RCH 155 has the so-called hunter-killer capability, which otherwise only main battle tank and infantry fighting vehicle are capable of. The fire order and the search for the next target can be carried out in parallel. This capability of the RCH 155 is for self-defence, not the actual artillery mission.

RCH 155 is highly automated and designed to later drive and shoot remotely and without requiring a crew.

Future operators

 * 🇺🇦 Ukrainian Ground Forces (54)
 * List of orders of Boxer RCH 155:
 * 18 howitzers ordered on 17 September 2022, announced as a purchase from Ukraine through a German aid fund at a cost of €216 million. As of November 2023, the delivery of the RCH-155 is planned for the end of 2024 at earliest.
 * 18 howitzers ordered in February 2024, announced during the Munich Conference for Ukraine support, Germany added 18 additional RCH-155 to the planned support.
 * 18 howitzers ordered as per an announce in June 2024 by KNDS. It was revealed that the total of RCH 155 for Ukraine was increased to a total of 54, which implies that 18 additional RCH-155 had been ordered.


 * 🇬🇧 British Army
 * On 24 April 2024, the UK announced its selection of the RCH-155 for the British Army's Mobile Fires Platform programme, as a successor for the AS-90. The vehicles will be built in both Germany and the UK with over 100 UK-based suppliers manufacturing components. The platform will consist of the Remote-Controlled Howitzer 155mm (RCH 155) weapon module fitted to the rear half of the Boxer mechanised infantry vehicle (MIV) and will be in service with the Royal Artillery by the end of the decade.

Potential operators

 * 🇩🇪 German Army (up to 168)
 * As part of the Zukünftiges System Indirektes Feuer mittlere Reichweite (ZukSysIndF mRw) program, the German army is looking for a wheeled artillery system with a calibre 155mm L/52. The deliveries are expected to take place from 2026 to 2031. The two candidates are the RCH-155 and the Artillery Truck Interface by Rheinmetall. According to some rumours in October 2023, the RCH-155 was mentioned as the winner of the competition, as the option from Rheinmetall is still in development and not yet mature. The objective is for 168 systems, though, 120 are more likely, but even that number might be short as the budget mentioned is only €1.3 to €1.4 billion.


 * 🇪🇸 Spanish Army (145)
 * The Spanish Army is looking for a successor to the M109A5. The total desired is of 36 wheeled self-propelled howitzers, and 109 tracked howitzers. GDELS-SBS is offering the Piranha Advanced Artillery Carrier (Piranha IV) and the ASCOD 2 platforms on which the RCH-155 modules would be installed.


 * Swiss Army
 * The Swiss Army is selecting a successor to the M109 KAWEST WE as part of the Artillerie Wirkplattform und Wirkmittel 2026 program. Trials are taking place in 2023–24, and the winner between the RCH-155 and the BAE Bofors Archer will be announced in 2025. The RCH-155 is offered on two platforms, the Boxer A3 and the Mowag Piranha IV 10×10, and the Archer is based on the Rheinmetall HX2 8×8.