Rheinmetall has secured a contract to supply weapon systems for the British Army’s new fleet of Remote Controlled Howitzer (RCH) 155 wheeled howitzers.
The contract, valued in the low three-digit million-euro range, was awarded in the second quarter of 2026, following the UK’s order for 72 of the advanced artillery vehicles.
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Under the terms of the contract, Rheinmetall will deliver 72 remote-controlled 155 mm L/52 weapon systems, known as elevating masses, along with on-board equipment and technical support services.
The supply forms a core element of the British Army’s modernisation programme, with deliveries to be managed through ARTEC, a joint venture between Rheinmetall and KNDS Deutschland.
Both companies act as subcontractors to ARTEC.
The RCH 155 is based on the GTK Boxer wheeled armoured vehicle chassis and incorporates a fully automated turret derived from the self-propelled Panzer howitzer 2000.
The system’s remote-controlled design enables a firing rate of up to eight rounds per minute and can engage targets at ranges up to 70km, depending on the ammunition, according to company information.
Manufacturing of the weapon systems will take place at Rheinmetall’s newly established gun production facility in Telford, which is being brought online in stages.
Delivery is scheduled between May 2028 and June 2031.
Besides supplying the main weapon elements, Rheinmetall will provide non-recurring services including contributions to training materials and technical documentation development.
Official sources noted that both Germany and the UK are currently qualifying the 155 mm L/52 RC system ahead of initial deliveries.
Once certified, the weapon systems will be installed on the UK’s RCH 155 platforms.
Each RCH 155 self-propelled howitzer is expected to cost the British Army approximately £12.5m, notably higher than the £7.5m per unit cost of the Archer 155mm platform, according to publicly available procurement data.
Rheinmetall, a major European supplier of military hardware and munitions, is currently expanding its production capacity for 155mm systems as part of ongoing efforts to meet demand for modern artillery solutions.
