M270 and RCH155, and the future of British artillery

The British Army is replenishing its artillery park after it was allowed to decline and following donations to Ukraine. It is a war-winning and necessary capability, but will the Army succeed?

The M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) and AS90 self-propelled howitzer were developed in the late 1980s at a time when NATO forces needed to increase their artillery firepower. Most were keenly aware of the imbalance they faced against the Warsaw Pact’s artillery. “It was said they could line their guns up wheel-to-wheel along the inner-German border,” one Cold War gunner remarked in an interview with Calibre Defence in early 2025. Both systems were designed to be cost-effective: the MLRS was initially expected to carry rockets that could be handled like regular ammunition, and used at a very high rate of expenditure; the AS90 built upon the towed FH-70 howitzer to provide a cost-effective self-propelled system,  eventually replacing the M109 in British service. The UK bought 64 of the M270 MLRS and 179 AS90s to equip its artillery regiments, but by the time both entered service, the Cold War was over and the UK’s approach to defence was changing. 

In 2022, as Ukraine fought hard against Russia’s invasion, the UK led the way in providing weapons, equipment, and ammunition. AS90s were recorded on the frontline in June 2023, having been delivered earlier that year. They provided a considerable improvement over the 122 mm 2S1 Gvozdika and 152 mm 2S3 Akatsiyas that Ukrainian soldiers were used to, although some required innovative maintenance and repairs to get them fully operational. By early 2025, the UK had sent its entire operational AS90 fleet to Ukraine, leaving just 14 newly procured Archer wheeled howitzers in their stead. The M270 donation was announced in June 2022 and three of the UK’s systems were provided. Ukraine was struggling to counter Russia’s long range artillery in the Donbass region, the MoD said at the time. The UK provided the launchers, as well as what was likely most of its M31A1 missile stocks.

Both of these worthy acts significantly reduced the UK’s artillery park at a time when indirect fire has become as critical as it was in the 1980s. The British Army cannot rely on the Royal Air Force to provide close air support, since it will be focused on combating the Russian Air and Space Defence Forces. Instead, it must rely on its artillery and a yet-to-be procured arsenal of loitering munitions to degrade and attrit its opponents, preserving the combat mass of its conventional armoured forces. So, the M270 upgrade and development of the RCH155, which will replace the AS90, are critical programmes for the UK. 

RCH155

• British Army Programmes – Are They Really Competed? – Calibre Defence
• Arming Ukraine, a review of Europe’s pledges for 2025 – Calibre Defence

The RCH155 (Remote Controlled Howitzer 155 mm) is a self-propelled howitzer produced by adding a modified version of the Artillery Gun Module from KNDS Germany to the Boxer drive module. It is an automated system with a crew of two, an L52 155 mm gun and a magazine of 30 ready rounds and charges. It was selected, to the surprise of many – including the other competitors – without tests in 2024 under the Mobile Fires Platform (MFP), a programme initiated in 2019 to replace the AS90. It was competing against the well-proven K9A2 from Hanwha, as well as additional Archers from BAE Systems, and the Atmos from Elbit Systems. No firing tests of the competing howitzers were done in the UK prior to selection, although industry news outlets did report that British personnel attended firing trials in the US and observed some of the systems there. The selection of RCH155 appears to have been based in no small part on the domestic industrial package offered by the competing companies – Rheinmetall’s announcement in May that it would establish a new large calibre barrel production facility in Telford at an estimated investment of £400 million ($508 million/€468 million), is perhaps indicative of the decisive factor.

Selection was announced in April 2024 after Prime Minister at the time, Rishi Sunak, had met with Olaf Scholz, Germany’s Chancellor. The programme was described as a joint development for both Britain’sand Germany’s armed forces. The project is led by the MFP Project Team from DE&S, which was aiming to bring the RCH155 “into service this decade,” according to a DE&S post announcing the partnership in 2024. “The [MFP Project] team continue to investigate opportunities to accelerate procurement and are working with industry to generate a costed proposal,” Maria Eagle, the Minister of State for Defence Procurement and Industry, told Parliament in a written answer in April 2025. She reconfirmed the delivery timeframe as being this decade, but the update suggests that it is taking time to get the system into production. Meanwhile, tests of indicative platforms are underway at the UK’s Millbrook Proving Ground, where a Boxer drive module with weight added to represent the RCH155 turret was tested, including side gradient tests to uncover how great an angle would make the vehicle tip. These tests may be connected to the stated intent to accelerate the procurement using test and trials facilities in the UK and Germany, which has been reported as an ambition since the project was initiated. 

As a system, the RCH155 is expected to provide close fire support, enabling the Royal Artillery, “to deliver lethal and decisive effect for ground warfare across the span of operations,” according to the Army’s website. The total quantity to be procured has not been made clear, although James Cartlidge, the Conservative Minister of State for Defence said the following in May 2024: “The assessment phase of the programme will determine the most appropriate manufacturing approach and confirm the number of platforms required by the British Army. The Army aims to achieve a Mobile Fires Platform Minimum Deployable Capability within this decade.” The initial requirement for MFP indicated that up to 116 systems would be bought, but a lot has changed since then, and the British Army in particular is trying to balance several procurements, such as Ground Based Air Defence, that are no longer discretionary, with a national budget that is under intense pressure from several directions. This may impact procurement of the system and the quantities that enter service.

Nevertheless, the programmatic risk is likely quite low given the joint procurement and assessment with Germany. The Bundeswehr indicated a need for more than 160 wheeled systems in 2023 as it expanded the number of its artillery battalions from four to 10, providing each of its brigades with a battalion as well as a corps and divisional-level fires unit. The total artillery complement includes the Dutch artillery units, which are closely integrated into the Bundeswehr. But in any case, the country is set to more than double its artillery park, primarily through the RCH155 procurement. The first contract for 80 systems for the Bundeswehr is expected to be signed in 2025. Ukraine also received the first of 54 RCH155s in January, which will remain in Germany for training Ukrainian crews until delivery to Ukraine can be completed. 

A big element of the RCH155’s success in performing the roles assigned to it will depend on the ammunition. Archer is expected to be provided with Excalibur guided rounds as well as BONUS, which deploys two anti-armour slugs and has proven very effective in Ukraine and trials. The UK is also funding firing trials of the 150 km range SCEPTRE ramjet round from Tiberius Aerospace. Procuring the right ammunition natures in the right quantities will be key.

M270 upgrade 

• US soldiers fire PrSM from all platforms in milestone test – Calibre Defence  
• UK MoD signs contract for Sceptre 155 mm round development – Calibre Defence

While the RCH155 is expected to provide close fire support to the UK’s armoured battle groups, a lot of emphasis and expectation is being placed upon the M270 fleet, which is being upgraded in terms of the vehicles and ammunition. In May 2024, the British Army had a fleet of 26 operational M270s, including the recovery and repair variants, as well as another 50 held in reserve. The plan, at the time, was to upgrade all of these vehicles, but approval had been granted to upgrade just 69 at the time, James Cartlidge told Parliament. Funding had also been allocated to procure and upgrade a further 16 systems (including one recovery variant), bringing the UK’s total MLRS fleet up to 85, with plans to complete and deliver all vehicles by 2030. 

However, as is the case for many of the UK’s procurements, the interim period has seen a lot of upheaval, including a change of government and further economic pressure. By April 2025, the procurement of 16 additional M270s was hanging in the balance and dependent upon the Strategic Defence Review. Maria Eagle again confirmed in March 2025 that 61 M270s were on order with the US to be recapitalised, as well as eight recovery vehicles. On ammunition, she added that “following the initial replenishment contract for M31 Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (GMLRS), a subsequent investment of £800 million [$1,083.52 million/€952.96 million] for GMLRS and Extended Range GMLRS (ER-GMLRS) missiles over 10 years has been committed.”

An initial contract to recapitalise some of the M270 fleet to the M270A2 standard was awarded to Lockheed Martin in 2022. The upgrade includes a new armoured cab, engine, and fire control system enabling the launchers to fire the complete MLRS family of ammunition, including the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM), with a range in excess of 400 km. The final tranche of funding for the UK’s recapitalisation was released in late-May 2025. 

Without any further procurement, the UK will likely still be able to equip two MLRS regiments – 3 Regiment Royal Horse Artillery and 26 Regiment Royal Artillery – as originally planned. However, it is very important to note that the efficacy of land deep strike platforms is dependent entirely upon the ability of an armed force to resource its reconnaissance requirements. This may require a significant expansion of the UK’s existing ISTAR assets. 

Calibre comment

• NEMESIS tracked howitzer breaks cover – Calibre Defence 
• Project NIGHTFALL: The UK’s search for tactical ballistic missiles
• Project Corvus, who will enter the fray? – Calibre Defence

The procurement of new artillery and recapitalisation of the M270 fleet is encouraging, even if the numbers for the latter are not as high as once hoped. However, there are some notable concerns regarding the RCH155 from the artillery community. Namely, it is the only wheeled artillery system – apart from Switzerland’s AGM, which is based on a 10×10 Piranha – without stabilising spades or legs. This raises questions around the stability of the platform, especially when firing at maximum charge, which is likely a requirement for evading counter-battery fire as well as delivering effects throughout an adversary’s operational depth. Separately, there is the impact that reducing the crew to two will have upon the way that the guns are fought. Gun crews have been traditionally much larger than what is required to fire and load the gun. Important jobs like unpacking ammunition, preparing hides, and providing sentries for air defence all consume personnel. It is not yet clear how reducing artillery crews so significantly will change the way that guns are used. The anticipated deployment of the RCH155 to Ukraine may, however, provide some initial answers.

Separately is the issue of ammunition for the M270 fleet. A good portion of the British Army’s concept of operations relies on delivering effects into “the deep,” which is variously defined by physical distance and the value of given targets. Whilst the definition may not always be clear, it is clear that new weapons are needed. Under current plans, the Extended Range GMLRS round will increase reach out to at least 150 km, assuming that Project CORVUS can deliver a system survivable enough to provide reconnaissance at those ranges. Beyond that, it was hoped that PrSM would provide a very survivable long-range strike asset. However, the recent announcement of Project NIGHTFALL indicates that the UK may be diverging from this path, which is a high-risk approach, to say the least. It stands to reason that the British Army has a lot to get done before its artillery park is replenished and brought up to the kind of strength and capability it would need in a war with Russia.

 By Sam Cranny-Evans, published on November 6th, 2025. The lead image shows 127 Battery of the eFP Battlegroup conduct live fire of the 155mm AS90 in Tapa, Estonia, during Estonia’s annual exercise WINTER CAMP in 2023. Credit: Corporal Paul Squires/UK MOD © Crown copyright 2023.