Germany Created a New Tracked Version of the RCH 155 to Replace the M109A7 in the US Army

The German company KNDS Deutschland has presented RCH 155 TRACKED, a new tracked version of its highly automated RCH 155 self-propelled gun system.

Hartpunkt reported on this.

According to the media, the demonstration of the self-propelled gun at AUSA, often referred to as the “internal” exhibition of the US Army, indicates that KNDS considers the tracked RCH as a potential replacement for the outdated M109A7 in the US Army.

The RCH 155 TRACKED combines the firepower and range of the automated, remotely operated Artillery Gun Module (AGM) of the RCH 155 with the protection and mobility of the new tracked version of the Boxer platform.

According to KNDS, the unmanned AGM turret, equipped with a 155-mm/52-caliber system, provides 360° guidance at all elevation angles using up to six modular projectile charges, eliminating the need for remote supports.

“As a systematic modular approach, the RCH 155 TRACKED is a lightweight, flexible, and long-range artillery system for all relevant scenarios requiring tracked mobility, providing the crew with a very high level of protection,” the company stated.

The tracked module has a maximum weight of approximately 45 tons and allows for the installation of combat modules weighing up to 17 tons (or up to 12 tons on a wheeled platform).

The power plant uses an MTU diesel engine with a Renk HSWL-256 transmission, with an output of up to 900 kW and a highway speed of up to 70 km/h. The specific power is ~20-25 kW/t, and the range is up to 500 kilometers.

The heart of the system is a serialized fully automated AGM turret with a 155 mm/L52 cannon from Rheinmetall, similar to the one used on the wheeled version of the RCH 155 and the Panzerhaubitze 2000.

The maximum firing rate is more than eight rounds per minute, and the system for loading shells and modular projectile charges is fully automatic. The fuzes are programmed inductively during charging, and the ammunition includes up to 30 ready-to-launch shells and 144 modular charges.

This is not the first attempt to install the AGM combat module on a tracked chassis. Earlier, in parallel with the wheeled version of the RCH 155, a self-propelled gun version was offered, based on a modified chassis from the MARS MLRS. However, this version never entered production.

Additionally, there is the NEMESIS, an AGM combat module mounted on the chassis of the Spanish ASCOD infantry fighting vehicle. In total, the Spanish Armed Forces plan to purchase 128 of these systems.