The Archer artillery system, or Archer – FH77BW L52, or Artillerisystem 08, is a Swedish self-propelled howitzer system. The main piece of the system is a fully automated 155 mm L52 (52-calibre-long) gun-howitzer and a M151 Protector remote-controlled weapon station mounted on a modified 6×6 chassis of the Volvo A30D all-terrain articulated hauler. The crew and engine compartment is armoured and the cab is fitted with bullet and fragmentation-resistant windows. The system also includes an ammunition resupply vehicle, a support vehicle, Bonus submunitions, and M982 Excalibur guided projectiles. Its superior attack range and exceptional maneuverability makes it ideal for counter-battery fire.

Development

The project began in 1995 as earlier studies for a self-propelled system based on the existing FH 77 howitzer. Further test systems received the designation FH 77BD and FH 77BW. By 2004, two prototypes had been ordered based on a lengthened version of the FH 77B mounted on a modified Volvo Construction Equipment A30D six-wheel drive articulated haul truck. In September 2006, BAE Systems Bofors received a SEK 40 million contract from the FMV (Försvarets materielverk, Swedish Defence Materiel Administration) for detailed design work on the Archer program. In 2008, Sweden ordered a first batch of seven units, while Norway ordered one. In August 2009, Norway and Sweden ordered 24 Archers each, in a cooperative deal. The howitzer was developed for the Swedish Armed Forces following a contract awarded to Bofors (now BAE Systems Bofors) in 2003 by Försvarets Materielverk (FMV), the Swedish defence acquisition agency to build two demonstrator howitzers. The prototype FH77 BW L52 self-propelled howitzers entered firing trials in Sweden in 2005 and 2006. In September 2006, the FMV placed a contract for detailed design work on Archer and, in January 2007, a contract for the next development phase. The Swedish Army had a requirement for 24 systems (two battalions). In September 2008, the Swedish government approved the final development and procurement of the Archer artillery system. In November 2008, Sweden and Norway signed a co-operative agreement for the development of the Archer system and, in January 2009, awarded BAE Systems a contract to complete development of the artillery system with the exception of the remote weapon system which is made by Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace. A final prototype was scheduled for completion by September 2009, which was expected to be followed by a contract for 48 systems – 24 for Sweden and 24 for Norway. Archer was planned to enter service in 2011 but was delayed until October 2013. This was because of unforeseen technical problems. It caused the Norwegian government to withdraw from the project in December 2013. The Swedish Army received its first four pre-serial production FH-77 BW L52 Archer systems on 23 September 2013, and the first guns finally entered service on 1 February 2016. In 2019, a new configuration of the Archer, with the howitzer mounted on a Rheinmetall MAN HX2 8×8 tactical truck, was revealed. Sweden had ordered a number of HX2 trucks in 2014, with deliveries commencing in 2017. On 23 January 2020, Janes Information Services reported that BAE Systems Bofors had begun trials for the HX2 variant.

Design

Vehicles

Operational vehicle platform – Volvo A30D

This vehicle platform is a modification of the Volvo A30D 6×6 articulated all-terrain hauler vehicle. It was developed for the first variant of the Archer artillery system. Operators control the entire gun system in any weather from the safety of the armoured vehicle cabin which is fitted with bullet and fragmentation-proof windows. The cabin seats up to four personnel. The howitzer is operated by three or four crew but can be run by a single operator. The system also includes a munition carrier consisting of a removable, modified standard container mounted on a ballistic-proofed all-terrain lorry. As per the agreement announced in March 2010, the contract to commence the serial production of 48 Archers was signed for US$200 million, resulting in a unit cost of US$4.17 million.

Future vehicle platform – Rheinmetall HX2 8×8

The Rheinmetall HX2 8×8 (HX44M) is the second platform for which the Archer artillery system is being developed. The Swedish Army ordered 48 in September 2023 for US$500 million. The delivery is planned to start from 2025. There are no changes to the system mentioned other than its adaptation to the vehicle.

Potential vehicle platform – Oshkosh defence trucks

BAE Bofors is proposing this system as an option to the US military, and concept variants based on the Oshkosh HEMTT (8×8) or the Oshkosh PLS (10×10).

Ammunition

The vehicle carries 21 155 mm projectiles in a fully automatic magazine. Reloading the magazine from the accompanying munitions carrier takes about 10 minutes using the purpose-built lifting device. The howitzer can use NATO modular charges or Bofors Uniflex 2 modular charges. The Uniflex 2IM modular charge system consists of two sizes of combustible charge cases; one full-size and one half-size case, both filled with the same type of insensitive guanylurea dinitramide (GuDN) propellant. The modular charge system allows several increments of charge to be available and increases the system's multiple rounds simultaneous impact (MRSI) capability and good range overlap between the increments. With BAE Bofors/Nexter Bonus rounds the range is 35 km. Due to the glide wings of the precision-guided Raytheon/Bofors M982 Excalibur rounds, the range of the gun is extended to more than 50 km. The Excalibur shell is corrected in flight towards a pre-programmed trajectory by a GPS guidance system. For armoured vehicles, the Bofors 155 Bonus is used.

Operational capabilities

The system is designed for high strategic, operational and tactical mobility. The vehicle can reach road speeds of up to 90 km/h, is capable of traversing snow up to a depth of 1 m, is rail transportable and can be air-transported in Boeing C-17 Globemaster III or Airbus A400M Atlas aircraft. A large hydraulically operated stabilizer is installed in the rear of the chassis and is lowered with the vehicle in the selected firing position. The gun elevation and traverse ranges are −1° to +70° vertically and −85° to +85° horizontally. The initial deployment time and the redeployment times are less than 30 seconds. The system provides precision strike and high sustained firepower for support and for deep firing operations with more than 25 t of ammunition per gun and 24-hour operation. The howitzer has a continuous fire rate of 75 rounds per hour, an intensive fire rate of 20 rounds (i.e., a full magazine) in 2.5 minutes (effective rate, 480 rounds per hour), and a salvo fire rate of three rounds in 15 seconds (effective rate, 720 rounds per hour). The MRSI capability, multiple round simultaneous impact, is up to 6 rounds. Direct-sighting can be used for target ranges up to 2000 m.

Technical data

The detailed specifications and capabilities of each variant are summarised in the following table.

Current operators

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Potential operators

Evaluation only

Failed bid

Cancelled order

Combat performance in Ukraine

In January 2024 a Ukrainian documentary crew from United24 observed the FH77BW Archer howitzer firing during combat missions. The news crew interviewed Ukrainian soldiers operating the system in the Luhansk region. One of the soldiers interviewed had previously worked with the Soviet-built D-20 howitzer. In contrast to the towed D-20's manual operation the Ukrainian soldier praised the automation and rapid emplacement of the FH77BW, describing it as "Sniper Artillery" for its one shot - one kill ability. In February 2024 an Archer artillery system was hit by a Russian loitering munition close to the city of Kupiansk. Russian sources claimed that the howitzer was destroyed while Ukrainian sources claimed that the damage done to the vehicle was likely repairable. In March 2024 a reconnaissance unit of the Ukrainian 63rd Mechanized Brigade detected multiple Russian D-20 howitzers near the city of Kreminna. The coordinates of the Russian howitzers was then passed on to the 45th Artillery Brigade which performed counter-battery fire using an Archer artillery system, with drone footage showing the destruction of three D-20 howitzers. In May 2024, the Ukrainian 45th Artillery Brigade used the Archer system in combat during operations in the Luhansk region. The brigade's artillerymen, operating an FH77BW Archer howitzer successfully destroyed a Russian 2S19 Msta-S self-propelled artillery system near the village of Chervonopopivka. The Russian gun had been spotted by a Ukrainian reconnaissance team and the destruction was verified by a drone.

Footnotes