Germany delivers first RCH 155 howitzers to Ukraine after four-year delay

September 7, 2026 at 02:00 PM2 min

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Germany delivered the first RCH 155 self-propelled howitzers to Ukraine on September 5, 2026, concluding a procurement process that began in September 2022. The delivery provides Ukraine with a fully automated 155 mm artillery system capable of firing while moving at up to 30 km/h. The handover follows repeated schedule slips and Ukrainian-requested modifications.

Key Facts

Germany confirmed delivery of the first RCH 155 howitzers to Ukraine on September 5, 2026, 1,449 days after approving the initial 18-gun procurement on September 17, 2022.
The RCH 155 has a combat weight below 39 tonnes, compared with 57.6 tonnes for the PzH 2000, a reduction of 32.3%.
Germany has contracted 54 RCH 155 units in three batches of 18, with total expenditure reaching €890 million against €216 million for the original batch.
The first RCH 155 was formally handed over to Ukraine in Kassel on January 13, 2025, but remained in Germany for 600 days before confirmation of arrival in Ukraine.
More than 600 Ukrainians had completed RCH 155-related training modules by March 2026.

Delivery Timeline

German Aid to Ukraine confirmed on September 5, 2026, that the first RCH 155 self-propelled howitzers had arrived in Ukraine. The delivery came 1,449 days after Germany approved the initial 18-gun procurement on September 17, 2022. The first RCH 155 was formally handed over to Ukraine in Kassel on January 13, 2025, but remained in Germany for 600 days before confirmation of arrival in Ukraine. Delivery had successively slipped from Q1 2024 to end-2024, April 2025, and then 2026 as Ukrainian-requested changes and integration with Ukraine's battle management system continued.

System Specifications

The RCH 155 combines the GTK Boxer 8×8 drive module with a 12.5-tonne unmanned Artillery Gun Module carrying a NATO-standard 155 mm/L52 cannon derived from the weapon architecture used by the PzH 2000. Combat weight is below 39 tonnes, compared with 57.6 tonnes for the PzH 2000, a reduction of 32.3%. The turret has no crew stations: two personnel remain in the armored Boxer compartment, with one acting as driver and system operator and the second as commander and fire-mission operator. The magazine carries 30 fuzed projectiles and 144 modular propellant charges, and the system achieves firing ranges from 30 km with conventional ammunition up to 70 km using Vulcano precision-guided munitions.

Contract and Training

Germany has contracted 54 RCH 155 units in three batches of 18, with total expenditure reaching €890 million against €216 million for the original batch. More than 600 Ukrainians had completed RCH 155-related training modules by March 2026. The number of guns delivered, their unit assignment, and ammunition allocation remain undisclosed.