According to the ministry, the RCH 155 system will provide British forces with artillery capable of firing eight rounds per minute at targets up to 70 kilometres away. The programme is also expected to support at least 500 jobs across the United Kingdom, including positions at Rheinmetall’s Telford facility, KNDS in Stockport and within the wider supply chain.
The ministry stated that the weapon systems, including the barrel, breech, recoil system and trunnions, will be manufactured at Rheinmetall’s large-calibre production facility in Telford. Rheinmetall intends to use British steel supplied by Sheffield Forgemasters, supporting the government’s UK Steel Strategy.
According to the ministry, the BOXER drive module, including the chassis, engine and drivetrain, will be manufactured by KNDS UK in Stockport. The government stated that the programme will sustain armoured steel welding capabilities in Britain while supporting 100 skilled jobs in Stockport and another 100 positions in Telford.
John Healey said: “This major investment is defence delivering for the battlefield and for Britain’s economy. By securing next-generation artillery with Germany, not only are we rearming to strengthen NATO against growing Russian aggression but also creating highly skilled jobs here in Britain.”
“This is what we mean when we say defence is an engine for growth – investment in our security that powers new jobs across the country,” Healey added.
The ministry stated that the procurement programme forms part of the UK-Germany Trinity House Agreement signed in October 2024. According to the government, the arrangement is intended to strengthen bilateral defence cooperation, deepen NATO interoperability and improve collective defence capabilities on the alliance’s eastern flank.
Boris Pistorius said: “The RCH 155 will significantly enhance the artillery’s firepower, safety and flexibility. It is a vital element of modern artillery support.”
“Together with the United Kingdom, we are demonstrating that we take interoperability within NATO seriously and are putting it into practice,” Pistorius added. “At the same time, we are underlining the close defence cooperation between Germany and the UK.”
The German defence minister also said: “My British counterpart John Healey and I are keeping our word and are implementing the Trinity House Arrangement step by step. Joint exercises and training will bring our armed forces even closer together.”
“This will deepen military cooperation in the long term and improve our operational readiness – for greater security in Europe,” Pistorius added.
According to the ministry, the RCH 155 is mounted on a BOXER chassis and can redeploy at speeds of up to 100 km/h, reducing vulnerability to enemy targeting. The system’s automated turret allows operation from the crew compartment by a crew of two soldiers.
First deliveries of the RCH 155 are expected in 2028, with the British Army aiming to achieve an initial deployable capability before the end of the decade. The contract follows a £52 million Early Capability Demonstrator agreement signed in December 2025 and a £53 million long-lead procurement contract signed earlier this year.
The RCH 155 will replace the AS90 artillery systems transferred to Ukraine in 2023. According to the ministry, the Archer artillery system will continue serving as an interim capability until the new platform enters operational service.
Simon Hamilton, Deputy Chief of the General Staff, said: “Britain answered the call for aid by providing artillery systems to Ukraine at the outbreak of the war. We knew the risk – the gap in our warfighting capability – that this would present.”
“The success of bringing the RCH 155 onto contract to develop our 155mm Close Support Artillery requirement, in collaboration with Germany, marks the first significant milestone in replenishing this capability,” Hamilton added.
“We are grateful to the National Armaments Director, our industry partners and our own programme teams for the fantastic work which they have done to bring this to fruition and look forward to our continued work with our German allies,” he said.
Source: UK Ministry of Defence.
