Sweden to evaluate possibility of providing Ukraine with Archer self-propelled guns and RBS 70 MANPADS

Sweden has officially agreed to consider providing Ukraine with Archer self-propelled artillery systems.

This was announced by Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde.

She also said that Sweden will consider the transfer of portable RBS 70 anti-aircraft missile systems to Ukraine.

“The Swedish government provides the seventh package of military assistance to the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine with artillery rounds worth SEK 500 million. This is not the last package. The Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) and the Armed Forces will evaluate possibility to provide [Ukraine with] Archer ACS, RBS-70 MANPADS, and more,” the Minister twitted.

A few days ago, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba, called on Sweden to provide Archer self-propelled howitzers and RBS-70 MANPADS and more rounds for artillery systems.

“The best Sweden can do in the field of defense in the coming weeks is to provide Ukraine with its famous Archer self-propelled howitzers, RBS-70 anti-aircraft missile systems, and more shells for our artillery systems,” Dmytro Kuleba said on August 29.

Then Kuleba also thanked Sweden for allocating a new aid package to Ukraine, half of which is aimed at defense purposes.

Archer

The artillery component of the Archer self-propelled guns is represented by a 155mm FH 77B gun with a barrel length of 52 calibers.

The autoloader allows it to release six shells in 30 seconds on different trajectories.

The system can be transported by an Airbus A400M military transport aircraft.

The maximum range is 30 km with a conventional projectile (HE), 40 km with a rocket assisted projectile (HE ER) and 60 km with an Excalibur guided projectile.

The maximum rate of fire of the Archer self-propelled guns is 8-9 rounds per minute, and the deployment for fire missions is 30 seconds.

In January 2020, the Swedish based BAE Systems unit began testing the artillery system on the German Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles (RMMV) chassis HX2 (8×8).

RBS 70

RBS-70 is a portable short-range Swedish-made anti-aircraft missile system, which is guided by laser radiation through which a corridor is created along which the missile flies.

When launched, the Rb-70 missile is ejected from the container at a speed of 50 m/s. Then the marching engine is turned on, which operates for 6 sec., accelerating the missile to supersonic speed (M = 1.6).

The operator’s task is to keep the target in sight of the stabilized sight. The laser beam emitted by the guidance unit forms a “corridor” centered on the missile.