British army artillery faces gap as AS90 howitzers sent to Ukraine
The British army currently has only 14 Archer self-propelled howitzers, according to the Ukrainian portal Defense Express. The vast majority of the native AS90 guns have been transferred by the United Kingdom to Ukraine.
The British army is facing a challenge related to the limited number of AS90 self-propelled howitzers, as reported by Defense Express, which cites calculations by the portal Opex360. Most of the howitzers were given to Ukraine, which means that the army now relies on the remaining 14 Swedish Archer howitzers.
As reported, the aforementioned Archers were purchased in 2024 as a temporary solution. Ultimately, the British army plans to replace them with German RCH 155 howitzers, but their delivery will not begin until 2029.
Until then, the British army will have to manage with a limited artillery arsenal that includes 14 Archer howitzers. Additionally, there are significantly fewer mobile, towed 105 mm howitzers in storage, as well as 61 M270 MLRS rocket systems. According to data gathered by the portal Opex360, the British army no longer has any AS90 howitzers.
The United Kingdom also plans to order additional M270 systems and rockets for them, which would increase their number to 76 units. However, implementing this plan will also take time.
British howitzer AS90
The AS-90 is an artillery system that was introduced to the British army in 1992. The designers equipped it with a 155 mm calibre gun with a barrel length of 39 calibres, mounted in a manned turret on a tracked chassis. The range of the AS-90 depends on the type of ammunition used.
When using standard shells, the range is about 26 kilometres, although it can be increased to almost 31 kilometres with rocket-assisted ammunition. The system also allows for fire in MRSI (Multiple Rounds Simultaneous Impact) mode, enabling shells to be fired at various angles to hit a target simultaneously.
The British self-propelled howitzer, mounted on a tracked chassis, weighs 42,184 kilograms. Soldiers who have had the opportunity to use it note that it allows departing the firing position in less than 60 seconds. It also features a high rate of fire, reaching up to 6 rounds per minute.
The entire structure is about 3.35 metres wide and nearly 10 metres long. It is equipped with a fuel tank with a capacity of 750 litres, allowing it to cover a distance of just under 399 kilometres. The maximum speed that the AS90 driver can achieve is about 60 km/h.
