British Army to be equipped with remote-controlled guns in £1bn deal

Remote-controlled guns will soon form part of the British Army’s artillery as part of a £1 billion investment in defence.

British soldiers will have access to 72 Remotely Controlled Howitzer 155mm (RCH-155) capable of firing eight rounds per minute at targets up to 70 km (43.5 miles) away.

The Ministry of Defense (MoD) said the remotely controlled weapon will be mounted on a BOXER chassis that can be redeployed at speeds of up to 100 km (62 miles) per hour, making it harder for enemies to target. The platform can be operated by just two soldiers by pressing a button from the crew compartment.

The weapons will be produced on British soil by European companies Rheinmetall and KNDS, creating at least 500 jobs, according to Ministry of Defense estimates.

Rheinmetall’s Telford plant will produce the barrel, breech, recoil system and trunnions using British steel supplied by Sheffield Forgemasters; This news comes after the prime minister announced on Tuesday that steel production would be nationalised.

The chassis, engine and powertrain comprising the weapon will be produced at KNDS Stockport.

Lieutenant-General Simon Hamilton, deputy chief of staff, said the remote-controlled weapons would be the “first important milestone” in the renewal of Britain’s artillery, which supplies weapons to Ukraine.

“Britain responded to the call for assistance by providing artillery systems to Ukraine at the beginning of the war,” he said. “We were aware of the risk this would present – the gap in our war-fighting capability.”

The program is part of the Trinity House Agreement, a UK-German cooperation established in October 2024 to strengthen European defense and security ties and increase industrial capacity for armored vehicles and artillery.

Defense Minister John Healey MP said the investment would help strengthen NATO against the growing threat of Russian aggression.

“This major investment provides defense services for the theater and the British economy. By securing a new generation of artillery with Germany, we are not only rearming to strengthen NATO against growing Russian aggression, but we are also creating high-skilled jobs here in Britain.”

“This is what we mean when we say defense is the engine of growth – investment in our security that powers new businesses across our country.”

The first deliveries of RCH-155 vehicles are expected to be made in 2028.

The UK government has aimed to increase defense spending to 2.6 per cent of GDP from 2027, after NATO allies committed to a target of 5 per cent of GDP by 2035.

Former defense chief Lord Stirrup warned in February that Britain risked being seen as a “paper tiger” in defense and that we needed to “put our money where our mouth is”.

The open letter, written by three former defense secretaries, retired senior military chief and former MI6 chief Sir Richard Dearlove, said Britain’s actions fell “dangerously short” of meeting its treaty obligations.

“We are fooling ourselves if we believe that Russia and our other enemies are unaware of this,” the letter said. Daily Telegraph To read.

“Commit now to a bold, credible and measurable pathway to spend 5 per cent of GDP on essential defence, providing the certainty our Armed Forces, industry and long-standing allies need to deter aggression and secure Britain’s future.”