Babcock, Rheinmetall UK join BAE push for British Army’s howitzer

LONDON — BAE Systems has unveiled the members of its industry team pitching for a British Army 155mm artillery requirement ahead of the expected launch of the competition early next year.

Babcock and Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL) are joining a BAE-led team offering the Archer 8x8 wheeled artillery system for the Ministry of Defence’s Mobile Fires Platform program, the companies announced Dec. 11.

The Archer is built by BAE’s Swedish defense operation, but the company said British industry content could amount to 60% if Archer is selected for the British Army.

Under the terms of the industrial tie-up, dubbed the Archer Artillery Alliance, BAE will provide and integrate the weapon system as well as setting up an assembly and test facility.

The company is currently looking at potential assembly sites in the north of England, having closed its gun production site there several years ago when M777 155mm lightweight howitzer production concluded.

BAE told Defense News it was also looking to reestablish a British barrel making capability as part of any deal.

RBSL will be in the lead for supplying of the HX 8X8 truck chassis for the bid. The UK joint venture between BAE and Rheinmetall is currently building Boxer and Challenger 3 armored vehicles for the British Army.

Babcock will have responsibility for consolidation of the superstructure and ammunition resupply system while contributing its manufacturing and maintenance, capabilities.

The Army is looking to replace its aging AS90 155mm systems and is in the concept phase of a mobile fires program expected to see 96 wheeled or tracked vehicles delivered with an initial operating capability of 2029.

Rival bidders for the program include Hanwha Aerospace of South Korea, partnered with Lockheed Martin UK and others, with the K9 Thunder, and KMW of Germany with the RCH 155/52 variant of the Boxer wheeled personnel carrier being bought by the British.

Prompted by lessons from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine MoD officials have been looking at the possibility of accelerating the artillery program.

The British government has already acquired 14 Archers as an interim measure to fill a capability gap left by the gifting of AS90s to the Ukraine military early 2023.

Four Archers have already been delivered to the British and a further 10 are due to be handed over in a single batch early next year, BAE told Defense News.

Sweden has also delivered Archer systems to Ukraine with the weapon recorded in action for the first time in recent video footage.

The Swedish military already operate Archer, and the system has been selected by Switzerland.

Andrew Chuter is the United Kingdom correspondent for Defense News.

伦敦——英国航空航天系统公司 (BAE Systems) 公布了其参与竞标英国陆军 155 毫米火炮项目的行业团队成员名单，预计竞标将于明年初启动。

巴布科克公司和莱茵金属BAE系统陆地系统公司（RBSL）于12月11日宣布，它们将加入由BAE领导的团队，为英国国防部的移动火力平台项目提供Archer 8x8轮式火炮系统。

Archer 由 BAE 的瑞典国防业务部门制造，但该公司表示，如果 Archer 被英国陆军选中，英国工业含量可达到 60%。

根据这项名为“弓箭手炮兵联盟”的工业合作协议，BAE系统公司将提供并集成该武器系统，并建立一个组装和测试设施。

该公司目前正在英格兰北部寻找潜在的组装地点，此前该公司关闭了位于那里的火炮生产基地，当时 M777 155 毫米轻型榴弹炮的生产已经结束。

BAE系统公司告诉《防务新闻》，作为任何交易的一部分，该公司还希望重建英国的枪管制造能力。

RBSL将主导此次HX 8x8卡车底盘的供应。这家由BAE系统公司和莱茵金属公司合资成立的英国企业目前正在为英国陆军生产“拳击手”（Boxer）和“挑战者3”（Challenger 3）装甲车。

巴布科克公司将负责上层建筑和弹药补给系统的整合，同时贡献其制造和维护能力。

陆军正在寻求替换其老旧的 AS90 155 毫米系统，目前正处于移动火力计划的概念阶段，预计将交付 96 辆轮式或履带式车辆，初始作战能力将于 2029 年实现。

该项目的竞争对手包括韩国韩华航空航天公司（与英国洛克希德·马丁公司等合作）的 K9 Thunder，以及德国 KMW 公司（其 RCH 155/52 型 Boxer 轮式人员运输车已被英国购买）。

受俄罗斯入侵乌克兰事件的教训启发，英国国防部官员一直在考虑加快火炮计划的可能性。

英国政府已经购置了 14 架 Archer 装甲车，作为一项临时措施，以填补因 2023 年初向乌克兰军队赠送 AS90 装甲车而留下的能力缺口。

BAE系统公司告诉《防务新闻》，已有四架“弓箭手”战斗机交付给英国，另有十架将于明年初一次性交付。

瑞典也向乌克兰交付了“弓箭手”导弹系统，最近的视频片段首次记录了该武器的实战表现。

瑞典军方已在使用 Archer 系统，瑞士也已选择该系统。

Andrew Chuter 是《防务新闻》的英国记者。