Ukraine Has Received The World's Most Advanced Howitzers

• 14.09.2026, 15:59

These weapons can fire while moving.

Ukraine received its first shipment of German RCH 155 self-propelled howitzers nearly four years after placing the order. Kyiv became the first country in the world to have already received and deployed this system. Germany, the United Kingdom, Qatar, and Switzerland have also placed orders, but deliveries to them have not yet begun, according to 19FortyFive.

The RCH 155 is based on the Boxer 8×8 armored vehicle and is equipped with a 155-mm NATO-standard gun. With conventional ammunition, the firing range reaches about 40 kilometers, and with V-LAP rocket-assisted projectiles, approximately 54 kilometers. The howitzer is capable of firing up to eight rounds per minute and carries 30 rounds internally.

The main feature of the RCH 155 is its ability to fire while on the move. The vehicle does not need to stop and deploy its stabilizing legs to fire.
“The RCH 155 can begin a fire mission without deploying its stabilizing legs, open fire, and continue moving,” the authors write.

This capability reduces the time during which Russian counter-battery systems, drones, and loitering munitions can detect and attack the howitzer.

Compared to the German PzH 2000, the RCH 155 is significantly lighter—weighing less than 40 metric tons versus 56. It can travel up to 700 kilometers on roads, and its crew consists of only two people, compared to about five for the PzH 2000.
“Its ability to fire accurately while on the move is undoubtedly the foundation of its survivability,” the authors note.
At the same time, a wheeled chassis is less suited for off-road terrain, mud, and snow than tracked vehicles. Furthermore, the automated system requires complex maintenance and crew training.

Ukraine is set to receive 54 RCH 155s in three batches of 18 vehicles each. The United Kingdom has ordered 72 systems. Germany has effectively transferred to Kyiv a system that its own army does not yet possess.