The U.S. Army has signed agreements with five manufacturers to conduct demonstration tests of 155-mm self-propelled artillery systems. This is stated in a press release by the US Army.
The companies involved—American Rheinmetall Vehicles, BAE BOFORS, Hanwha Defense USA, General Dynamics Land Systems, and Elbit Systems USA—will each present their systems in demonstration trials scheduled for November 2024.
The total value of these contracts is $4 million.
Strategic Shift
The contracts come after the cancellation of the Extended Range Cannon Artillery (ERCA) program earlier this year, which aimed to develop a self-propelled artillery piece capable of firing at a range of 70 kilometers.
Instead of pursuing a new developmental program, the US Army is now looking for proven, mature systems that can quickly fill gaps in its artillery capabilities.
According to Maj. Gen. Glenn Dean, program manager for Ground Combat Systems, the Army is moving from a research and development phase to a more practical procurement process:
"We are exploring both US and international solutions to find systems that are affordable, ready for production, and meet the Army's operational needs."
Demonstration testing is set to begin in November 2024 and will inform the Self-Propelled Howitzer Modernization (SPH-M) program, part of the Army's broader Artillery Transformation Strategy.
Gen. Dean added that these tests will support the Army's transition from development to procuring a mature and affordable system.
The Army aims to complete all demonstrations by the end of 2024, after which it may proceed to contract awards for production. Although these manufacturers currently produce their self-propelled systems abroad, all production will be fully localized within the U.S. upon contract finalization.
What the Manufacturers Are Offering
Each of the five companies brings unique and battle-tested artillery systems to the table:
American Rheinmetall Vehicles: Likely to showcase variants equipped with the 155mm L52 gun, including systems like the Artillery Gun Module (AGM) on either tracked or wheeled platforms such as the RCH 155 or Panzerhaubitze 2000.
BAE BOFORS: Expected to present the Archer wheeled self-propelled gun, which could be adapted for American use by mounting it on an Oshkosh PLS truck.
Hanwha Defense USA: Likely to offer its renowned K9 Thunder self-propelled gun or an adapted version like the AS9 Huntsman.
General Dynamics Land Systems: Will display a prototype using the Piranha 10x10 Heavy Mission Carrier chassis, integrated with an Artillery Gun Module (AGM) developed by its European division.
Elbit Systems USA: Set to present its wheeled ATMOS or ROEM self-propelled artillery systems.
