The British Army no longer operates the AS90 155mm self-propelled howitzer (SPH), Army Technology can confirm, with the UK’s only 155mm artillery capability now maintained by a small, 14-strong fleet of Archer systems.
It was earlier known that 32 AS90 artillery systems had been donated to Ukraine to assist the country in its ongoing war against Russia, from a remaining UK inventory of around 80 platforms.
The fate of the remaining approximate 50 units in the British Army was unknown, with no future announcement by the UK of additional AS90 donations to Kyiv.
Given the fact that the British Army has no AS90s operational, there is a possibility that the entire fleet has been donated to Ukraine.
Does the British Army have any 155mm artillery?
Yes. The UK acquired 14 Archer SPHs in 2023 in a direct government-to-government agreement with Sweden as an interim artillery system intended to bridge the gap between the ageing AS90 systems and an, at the time, undecided replacement under the Mobile Fires Platform.
The wheeled Archer 6×6 is equipped with an automated, self-propelled 155mm main gun designed for rapid deployment, with a firing range of 50km using extended range ammunition – doubling the AS90’s 25km range.
In 2024, the UK announced that it would partner with Germany in the development of the new RCH 155 SPH, which is based on the Boxer mechanised infantry vehicle currently being rolled out into British Army service, fitted with a 155mm howitzer in an uncrewed turret module.
The UK government expects to begin introducing the RCH 155 from 2029, with the interim Archer artillery system itself due to leave service from 2030.
UK AS90: slipped out of UK service
Although increasingly outgunned by more modern counterparts, the AS90 was still considered to be a viable fire support platform on the battlefield, although its firing range of around 25km is significantly lower than other 155mm in Western service, which can fire out to 50km.
Introduced into service in 1992, the AS90 has been a staple of UK military operations for decades, including in the 2003 Iraq war. In total, 179 units were delivered to the British Army.
While it has apparently left UK service via the back door, the platform maintains a presence in social media channels, covering the equipment being operated by Ukrainian forces.
