Ukraine Gets First RCH 155 Wheeled Howitzer, Boxer Fighting Vehicles May Follow

Ukraine has received its first German-supplied RCH 155 wheeled self-propelled howitzer, becoming the launch operator for the system. While Ukraine badly needs additional and more capable artillery, for now, at least, the first RCH 155 will remain in Germany for training Ukrainian personnel. However, it now looks like Ukraine is also set to receive Boxer wheeled infantry fighting vehicles, which share a common chassis with the RCH 155.

The first Ukrainian RCH 155 — the designation stands for Remote-Controlled Howitzer 155 millimeter — was delivered at the KNDS factory in Kassel, Germany, yesterday, where it was received by German Minister of Defense Boris Pistorius. He then handed it over directly to Ukraine’s ambassador to Germany, Oleksii Makeiev.

“Today is a very special day for me. Our needs are more acute than ever before,” Makeiev said, adding: ”When we sit at the negotiating table one day, it will be good to be covered by powerful German weapons and to have Germany at our side.”

Eventually, Ukraine will receive 54 RCH 155s, enough for three artillery battalions, although six vehicles will remain in Germany, at least initially, for training. The first six systems are planned for handover this year.

The RCH 155 is essentially a combination of two previous German-designed ground systems, namely the 155mm-caliber L52 main armament of the Panzerhaubitze 2000 tracked self-propelled howitzer and the drive module of the Boxer 8×8 wheeled infantry fighting vehicle.

In its RCH 155 application, the gun turret is fully automated, requiring no crew inside it, and is known as the Artillery Gun Module (AGM). This can fire up to nine rounds per minute to a range of up to 25 miles with standard ammunition, increasing to up to 33.5 miles when using very long-range artillery projectiles (VLAP).

The AGM has the capacity for 30 fused rounds and 144 modular charges. It features automated navigation and fire control, providing fully automated gun laying, as well as projectile and charge loading, and setting the fuzes. There is no need for a support vehicle and the RCH 155 can be operated by a crew of just two: driver/operator, and commander. The Panzerhaubitze 2000 requires a crew of five.

Putting the RCH on a high-mobility wheeled chassis means that it can move much faster over roads than the tracked Panzerhaubitze 2000, making it ideal for ‘shoot and scoot’ operations, in which it engaged a target and rapidly relocated to another location, to avoid counter-fire. The RCH 155 also has the capacity to fire when on the move and its driving range — 435 miles — is superior to the Panzerhaubitze 2000’s 265 miles. Firing on the move is achieved using a sophisticated stabilization system, in which a computer constantly monitors the position of the vehicle and the barrel, readjusting the gun based on the aiming point, and only firing off a round if the exact parameters are met.

While the automated turret ensures that the gun will place the rounds on the chosen target, the two-person crew is then only required to check that there are no obstacles in the immediate vicinity that could obstruct the path of the projectile. This job is aided by a Setas 360-degree vision system from the Hensoldt company. The turret automation means the crew can instead focus on obstacles, threats, and other local dangers.

Unusually, the RCH 155 also has a capability to engage other vehicles, in the so-called ‘hunter-killer’ role, using its main gun — which offers an elevation of between -2.5 and +65 degrees — as a direct-fire weapon. In this mode, the commander can select a threat via the optronics within the remotely operated weapon station, with the 155mm main gun then being automatically slaved to this target and then fired. If needed, the commander can override one target to prosecute a more urgent one, such as a tank or armored fighting vehicle presenting an immediate threat. Different remotely operated weapon stations are available for the RCH 155, although it’s unclear which, if any, Ukraine will receive.

Meanwhile, the tracked Panzerhaubitze 2000 does still provide certain advantages, especially its ability to negotiate rough terrain, especially vital during the Ukrainian winter. The Ukrainian Armed Forces have so far received 36 secondhand Panzerhaubitze 2000s, 25 of these being donated by Germany, and they will get another 18 newly built examples from Germany starting in mid-2027, providing a total fleet of 54, minus any attrition.

So far, there have been no recorded losses of the Panzerhaubitze 2000 in Ukrainian service, although at least one has received minor damage and it’s possible there are unrecorded examples that have been knocked out or even captured.

It’s unclear when the Ukrainian RCH 155 might arrive on the battlefield, although there are reports that this could happen as soon as April. Their exposure to an operational environment — and combat with Russia — will provide a stern test and a very useful evaluation of its capabilities for the manufacturer and for other customers.

The RCH 155 is also on order for Germany, with plans to allocate the budget this year to buy 80 examples. The United Kingdom is also set to receive the RCH 155, which will replace the British Army’s AS90 tracked self-propelled howitzer, which are in turn being supplied to Ukraine.

Other future customers for the RCH 155 include Switzerland, which will integrate the AGM on a locally made Mowag Piranha IV 10×10 armored fighting vehicle chassis, and Italy. Several other NATO and non-NATO countries have also been identified as likely candidates to buy the RCH 155.

Speaking yesterday, Ralf Ketzel, the CEO of KNDS, the manufacturer of the RCH 155, said that he expects Ukraine to also receive Boxer wheeled infantry fighting vehicles, in addition to the artillery systems. Ukraine’s ambassador to Germany, Oleksii Makeiev, reiterated that point, saying that the country would receive Boxers outfitted in a “command support vehicle” version, armed with a 30mm cannon. This suggests the RCT30 version of the Boxer, which combines the wheeled vehicle with the uncrewed turret from the German Army’s Puma tracked infantry fighting vehicle.

No details were provided about when the Boxers might arrive, but they would provide the Ukrainian Armed Forces with a very modern infantry fighting vehicle, part of a diverse fleet of Western and Soviet-origin types. Other accounts suggest that Ukraine might intend to field its Boxers as escorts for the RCH 155, especially to counter the first-person view (FPV) drones that are proliferating on the battlefield, and which count artillery pieces among their primary targets.

Meanwhile, Germany’s military support for Ukraine was further underscored today by a visit to Kyiv by German Minister of Defense Pistorius. He is reportedly in the country to “discuss further aid and assess the military situation,” according to the DPA news agency.

Germany has been one of Ukraine’s staunchest backers since Russia launched its full-scale invasion, although things could change drastically following the snap election that will take place in Germany next month. Several opposition parties oppose the further delivery of German weapons to Ukraine, and much will depend on the shape of the next government in Berlin, as to whether the same level of support continues.

Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com