LONDON -- The UK and Germany have agreed to co-develop the Boxer RCH 155, a new artillery system to address the British Army’s Mobile Fires Platform (MFP) requirement.

The program seeks to procure a new 155 mm self-propelled artillery system to replace aging AS90 self-propelled howitzers, which have been in service since 1992. The Army plans to acquire 116 systems.

The program was accelerated in early 2023 with a goal of fielding a system before the end of the decade as opposed to the early 2030s.  This was confirmed in a recent release by the British Army, which stated that the new RCH 155 systems will enter service this decade.

The RCH 155 is a marriage of two European programs: the modular Boxer 8x8 chassis, built by the ARTEC consortium, serves as the foundation.  Mounted on this base is an Artillery Gun Module, developed by KNDS Deutschland (formerly Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW)). This module itself is based on the German Army's PzH 2000 self-propelled howitzer, bringing its 155mm punch to a wheeled platform.

Competitors for the MFP requirement reportedly included Hanwha Defense's Team Thunder with its K9A2 self-propelled howitzer, Nexter's CAESAR 8×8 SPH, BAE Systems Archer, and Rheinmetall with an HX3 10×10 truck carrying a remote-controlled artillery turret.

Source: Forecast International
Associated URL: https://dsm.forecastinternational.com/2024/04/25/uk-chooses-rch-155-for-mobile-fires-platform/

MAPLE GROVE, Minn. -- BAE Systems' Combat Mission Systems (CMS) business is marking the start of construction on its new 236,000-square-foot facility in Maple Grove, Minnesota. Designed with functionality and a future-proofed blueprint, the site will provide the infrastructure required to innovate solutions that support the U.S. military and its allies around the world.

"Breaking ground on the Maple Grove site is a critical milestone for our business as our talented employees will have a state-of-the-art facility to enable them to make a difference for those who put their lives on the line to protect us," said Andy Corea, vice president and general manager of BAE Systems' CMS business. "The new facility is core to our efforts to attract and retain talented employees, while also enabling us to modernize our industrial base, improve internal processes, and strengthen performance as we continue to develop and produce high-quality capabilities for our warfighters."

Today, BAE Systems' Minnesota operations are home to world-leading design, development, and lifecycle support services for a full spectrum of gun systems, weapon launching systems, advanced munitions, weapon handling systems, and combat vehicles. BAE Systems will carry its legacy - with local operations dating back to the 1940s - into the new facility that will be built to meets the needs of its current and future workforce.

BAE Systems will move its current operations in Fridley, Minnesota to Maple Grove once development is complete in 2025.

Source: www.baesystems.com/US

LONDON - The United Kingdom has agreed to provide more military aid to Ukraine. To date, this will be the largest British military aid package to Kyiv.

The value of this new aid package is GBP500 million. This additional aid will bring the total assistance provided this year by the U.K. to Ukraine to GBP3 billion.

This new British aid package includes the delivery of: 60 boats, as well as naval guns; more than 1,600 strike and air defense missiles, including additional Storm Shadows; 400+ vehicles, including 160 Husky mine protected vehicles, 162 armored vehicles and 78 all-terrain vehicles; and around 4 million rounds of small arms ammunition.

Source: Ukrainska Pravda
Associated URL: https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2024/04/23/7452471/
Author: Ivashkiv Olena