The war in Ukraine and the intensive use of long-range precision fires have forced a major shift for European armed forces and those elsewhere in the world. To that end, manufacturers such as KNDS Group are redefining the concept of self-propelled artillery platforms, combining a new automated fire module with highly mobile armored vehicle platforms. With that reality in mind, the Franco-German consortium presented at the AUSA 2025 international exhibition —currently being held in Washington, D.C., United States— a new version of the RCH 155 based on a tracked variant of the Boxer armored vehicle platform.
Originally unveiled in 2022 by then-Krauss-Maffei Wegmann, the RCH 155 was conceived as an artillery combat vehicle centered on the Artillery Gun Module (AGM) integrated into the 8×8 Boxer armored platform. However, it would not be until nearly two years later, with the intensification of the war in Ukraine, that Germany confirmed its acquisition for the Heer, as well as the delivery of units to the Ukrainian Ground Forces for use in combat; the first examples were confirmed earlier this year. In addition, in November 2024 it was selected by the Swiss Army as a future long-range fire-support platform.
With that background, and taking advantage of the AUSA 2025 framework, KNDS Group has taken another step by presenting an evolution of the concept, integrating the AGM into a tracked variant of the Boxer platform, as Zona Militar was able to observe at the company’s stand during an initial hands-on.
KNDS officially describes the tracked RCH 155 as a “light, flexible, and long-range” artillery platform for operational scenarios that require high mobility and crew protection, thanks to an operational range of up to 500 kilometers and an engine producing between 800 and 900 kW that enables road speeds of up to 70 km/h.
Regarding its attack and fire-support range, this is achieved through the combination of the AGM with the proven 155 mm L52 gun, while mobility and protection are provided by the Boxer platform, resulting in an artillery combat vehicle on the order of 45 tonnes.
Finally, concerning fire-support capabilities and depending on the type of ammunition, KNDS states that the RCH 155 has a range of 40–54 km with the V-LAP (Velocity-enhanced Long Artillery Projectile) round and 70 km with the guided VULCANO ammunition; compatibility with future projectiles currently under development is also mentioned. Its ammunition load capacity is 30 rounds with fuze and 144 modular charges.
Additionally, aside from the main armament, the RCH 155 is equipped with a remote weapon station compatible with several configurations, such as machine guns and grenade launchers.
