British Army completes acceptance of Archer self-propelled howitzers

This acquisition follows a rapid procurement process initiated last year, in response to the UK’s commitment to providing 32 AS90 self-propelled guns to Ukraine. DE&S and the UK Army demonstrated remarkable agility, negotiating the initial deal with Sweden in just two months. This swift procurement underscores DE&S’ capability to quickly fulfil the Army’s requirements.

The Archer howitzer, an interim replacement for the AS90s, is based on the renowned Bofors FH77 field howitzer. It features an automated 155 mm 52-calibre gun mounted on a 6×6 articulated hauler, designed for rapid deployment with a firing range exceeding 50 km. The system is fully automated, allowing loading, laying, and firing to be managed from inside the armoured cabin, ensuring full protection for the crew.

Training for the new howitzers is well underway. The British Army has recently conducted live firing tests in Sweden and has commenced non-firing training and testing on UK soil. Colonel Stu Nassé, Assistant Head Military Capability Delivery in Army HQ, emphasised the significance of this milestone: “This acceptance marks the completion of the initial acquisition of the 14 Archers and is a significant milestone. The essential – but challenging – work to turn this into a full capability continues at pace with proactive collaboration between the Royal Artillery, Army HQ, and DE&S. Archer is an exciting project to be a part of and will deliver a world-class capability in record time.”

The Archer systems have been upgraded to UK specifications by BAE Bofors and GD Mission Systems, acquired through a Government to Government agreement with the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV). These enhancements ensure that the British Army is equipped with a highly capable and mobile artillery system.

Mark Bunyan, FIMS Team Leader at DE&S, highlighted the advantages of the Archer: “Striking the balance between power and mobility by featuring long range precision, fast deployment time, and a protected environment for the crew, the Archer provides the British Army with a highly capable artillery system to ensure we minimise any capability gap between gifting our AS90s and acquiring our long-term Boxer-based artillery solution.”

Collaboration between the UK and Sweden remains strong, with ongoing preparations for further joint activities, including Exercise Dynamic Front in Finland. Colonel Stephan Sjöberg, Artillery Inspector of the Swedish Armed Forces, noted the cooperation: “The UK and Sweden are working together with Archer regarding support and best use of the system.”