United to win: Germany delivers first of 54 RCH 155 howitzers to Ukraine
Photo: dpa
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius handed over to Ukraine on January 13 the first new RCH 155 wheeled howitzer out of 54 previously ordered. They are manufactured by the German-French arms company KNDS.
Stuttgarter Zeitung reported this.
The ceremonial handover occurred in Kassel, where KNDS, the armored vehicle manufacturer, produced this weapon system. The Ukrainian Ambassador to Germany, Oleksii Makeiev, was also in attendance.
"Ukraine can count on us, and this is a signal. And Germany is ready to take responsibility in Europe," Pistorius said during the handover of the howitzer.
Photo: Welt
It is known that the first six of these systems will initially remain in Germany and will be used to train Ukrainian soldiers.
"We do not need intermediaries; we need allies," Makeiev said.
Earlier, it was reported that with funding from Germany, Ukraine became the first buyer of these wheeled self-propelled guns, initially ordering 18 units. However, this number later increased to 54 units.
For reference:
The RCH 155 (Remote Controlled Howitzer) is a modern German self-propelled artillery installation developed by Krauss-Maffei Wegmann. Its basis is the modular artillery system AGM (Artillery Gun Module), mounted on the chassis of the Boxer armored wheeled transporter.
The main armament is a 155-mm howitzer with automatic loading, capable of firing conventional and high-precision shells at up to 54 km. It is distinguished by high accuracy, rate of fire (up to 9 rounds per minute), and the ability to fire remotely without the crew's participation in the fighting compartment.
The RCH 155 provides high mobility and crew protection thanks to the Boxer wheeled platform. The installation can quickly change position after each salvo, reducing the risk of enemy counter-battery fire. The system also has integrated navigation and communications for rapid target acquisition.
