Earlier this week, the German Ministry of Defense held a symbolic delivery ceremony for the first RCH 155 self-propelled howitzer to the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the German city of Kassel. With this delivery, Ukrainian forces officially become the first users of this newly mentioned weapon system, with another half dozen units expected to be delivered within the same year.
Some key details from the event include the participation of German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and Ukrainian Ambassador Oleksii Makeiev. While both officials agreed on the delivery of the first unit during the ceremony, it is important to note that this was a symbolic handover, as the RCH 155 will not be sent into combat immediately. Instead, it will remain in Germany to train future artillery crews, with the first units expected to arrive in Kyiv by April.
Germany has committed to financing a total of 54 RCH 155 systems for Ukraine, initially keeping six units in German territory to aid in crew training. These units, ordered by the German government in three separate phases, could equip up to three artillery battalions, providing a significant boost to Ukraine’s defense against the Russian invasion.
Ukrainian Ambassador Makeiev stated: “Today is a very special day for me. Our needs are more urgent than ever… When one day we sit at the negotiation table, it will be good to be covered by powerful German weapons and to have Germany by our side.”
Additionally, Germany is not only producing RCH 155 systems for Ukraine but is also expecting to receive a total of 80 new units, financed through the Bundeswehr’s Special Fund. Other customers include the United Kingdom, which seeks to replace its old AS90 tracked systems (also delivered to Ukraine), and Switzerland, which will replace the Boxer vehicle mounting the turret with an armored Mowag Piranha IV 10×10.
Regarding the specifications of the RCH 155 system, it is important to highlight that the platform is designed by Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) with a focus on automating the cannon loading process and remote tower operation. According to the manufacturer, this allows the system to operate with only two crew members, reducing personnel requirements and training time. Technically, each unit can fire projectiles with a range of up to 50 kilometers using the M982 special ammunition, maintaining a firing rate of 9 shells per minute. Mounted on a Boxer vehicle, the system can travel at speeds of up to 100 km/h with an estimated maximum range of 700 kilometers.
Images used for illustrative purposes.
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