The British Army took a major step in its artillery modernisation program when it debuted the new Archer 155m wheeled self-propelled howitzers during a NATO exercise in Estonia.
Its first operational deployment was announced during Exercise Hedgehog, a large-scale multinational exercise taking place this month, underscoring the UK’s growing commitment to the eastern flank and the rapid intergation of advanced artillery into its frontline service.
The system’s involvement was confirmed through a series of images released by the British Ministry of Defence (MOD) showing the armed forces using it in live training scenarios.
Archer is a huge advancement on the the AS90 which had served as a backbone of British artillery for decades. First introduced in the early 1990s, it underwent a number of upgrades over the years but it soon reached its technological and operational limits.
Not only was the tracked chassis slow, making it less suitable for rapid developments in the requirements of modern expeditionary and NATO-aligned operations, but the manually loaded gun system and older fire control technology also lagged behind.
The need for something new and ‘better’ was then accelerated by the UK’s decision to donate 32 units to Ukraine in 2023, supporting them in the war against Russia – this left a growing gap in the British Army’s self-propelled artillery capabilities.
So this led to the Archer systems, available from Sweden’s BAE Systems Bofors, which presented a more mature, field-proven and ready-to-deploy alternative that alligned with NATO interoperability standards.
It represents a next-generation system built for mobility, automation and survivability, mounted on a 6×6 Volvo chassis featuring a fully automated 155mm L52 gun-howitzer.
The system can engage targets within just 30 seconds of receiving a fire order, deliver six rounds in under a minute, and the flexibility to immediately relocate elsewhere to avoid enemy fire.
Archers can also fire precision-guided munitions, such as the M982 Excalibur which can hit targets from over 50km away – a whopping 20km better than the older and less-effective AS90.
Plus its armoured cabin allows the entire operation of the weapon to be conducted from within, protecting the crew that used it whether they were targeting or firing. While it also boasts automated loading and firing systems, reducing the physical workload and manpower required to operate.
The decision to swap to the Archer 155mm wheeled self-propelled howitzer sees the UK join fellow NATO nations like Sweden and Norway who also adopt the system.
As Europe grapples with an ever-evolving security landscape, the UK’s investment in systems such as Archer underscores its strong dedication to maintaining a modern, efficient, and agile military force prepared to tackle the complexities of 21st-century conflict.