The Swiss government has shortlisted BAE Systems’ Archer 155mm mobile howitzer for the final round of its future artillery system competition.
There are other systems also in the competition, the British defense firm revealed.
The winner is expected to replace Switzerland’s indigenously developed M109L47 KAWEST self-propelled howitzer, an upgraded version of the American M109A1 155mm SPH.
Rapid Deployment, Departure
The Archer is a fully automated system capable of firing within 20 seconds of an order and an equal time to depart, the manufacturer claims.
The system can move 500 meters (1,640 feet) firing six rounds in less than two minutes, while being operated by a crew from an armored cabin.
Can Fire Various Rounds
The system demonstrated a firing capability of eight rounds per minute during a US Army evaluation exercise in October. Its 21-rounds-magazine takes three minutes to exhaust and can hold a mix of rounds to support a range of missions.
It can fire “precision BONUS anti-armor munitions up to 35 km (22 miles), conventional munitions up to 40 km (25 miles), and currently fielded precision-guided munitions like Excalibur in excess of 50 km (31 miles).”
