The new system is part of the “Artillery Weapons Platform and Ammunition” (WPWM) project initiated to enhance medium-range indirect fire capabilities with improved range, precision, and mobility. armasuisse, responsible for overseeing the project since 2019, was tasked with evaluating a wheeled platform suitable for Swiss military operations. The project also includes the integration of communications, command and control, fire-control systems, training tools, and logistical resources, as well as the initial provisioning of ammunition.
To shortlist the options, armasuisse invited manufacturers to submit proposals based on military specifications. By 2022, two systems were chosen for further evaluation: the Archer Mobile Howitzer from Sweden’s BAE Systems Bofors AB and the RCH 155 AGM Artillery Gun Module from Germany’s KNDS Deutschland, tested on Boxer and Piranha platforms.
The evaluation phase involved comprehensive trials conducted between January 2023 and June 2024. These trials encompassed logistical reviews, technical tests abroad, assessments of mobility within the Swiss road network and terrain, troop trials with Swiss Armed Forces professionals and militia, and live demonstrations with foreign military partners.
Following the extensive testing and a cost-benefit analysis, the AGM Artillery Gun Module on Piranha IV was deemed the most favourable option. The decision factored in multiple criteria, including tactical utility, technical performance, logistics, cost-efficiency, quality, and sustainability. “After the detailed evaluation from the trials, investigations and offers, the decision was made in favour of system AGM Artillery Gun Module on Piranha IV from the company KNDS Deutschland,” stated armasuisse, emphasising the comprehensive nature of the assessment process.
The project team will now focus on integrating communications and command systems into the selected platform. Concurrently, preparations will begin for the Armed Forces Dispatch 2025 to secure parliamentary approval for the procurement.
The existing M109 howitzers, procured from 1968 and updated several times, have been central to Swiss motorised artillery for over 50 years. Following a significant KAWEST upgrade in 1995 and a retention programme in 2012, the fleet is currently undergoing its final service life extension (NUV 2021) to remain operational until the new AGM Artillery Gun Module on Piranha IV replaces it.
