| ARCHER Artillery System | |
|---|---|
A deployed Archer |
|
| Type | Self-propelled artillery |
| Place of origin | Sweden |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 1995 |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 30.0 tonnes (66,138.7 lb) |
| Length | Overall: 14.1 metres (46 ft 3 in) Gun barrel: 8.06 m (26 ft 5 in) |
| Width | Overall: 3.0 m (9 ft 10 in) |
| Height | 3.3–3.9 m (10 ft 10 in–12 ft 10 in) |
| Crew | 4 (1 driver, 3 operators) |
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|
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| Main armament |
1× FH 77 derived 155 mm/52-calibre howitzer |
| Secondary armament |
1× BAE Systems AB Remote weapon system |
| Engine | Diesel 340 hp (250 kW) |
| Suspension | 6x6 Independent suspension |
| Operational range |
500 kilometres (310 mi) |
| Speed | 70 km/h (43 mph) |
The Archer Artillery System or Archer - FH77BW L52 is an international project aimed at developing a next-generation self-propelled artillery system for Sweden and Norway.[1] The heart of the system is a fully automated 155 mm/L52 gun howitzer and a "Lemur" Remote controlled weapon station[2] mounted on a modified 6x6 chassis of the Volvo A30D, all-terrain articulated hauler. The crew and engine compartment is heavily armoured and the cab is fitted with bullet and fragmentation-proof windows. Aside from this, the system consists of an ammunition resupply vehicle, a support vehicle, BONUS Sensor-fuzed Artillery Shell[3] and the M982 Excalibur guided projectile.
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The project began its life in 1995 as earlier studies for a self-propelled system based on the FH 77. 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 dump truck (6×6 Volvo chassis). In 2008, Sweden ordered a first batch of seven units, while Norway ordered one.[4][5] In August 2009, Norway and Sweden ordered 24 Archers each, in a cooperative deal.[6]
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 has a requirement for 24 systems (two battalions). Following 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. A final prototype is scheduled for completion by September 2009, which is expected to be followed by a contract for 48 systems – 24 for Sweden and 24 for Norway. Archer is planned to enter service in 2011. The Archer system is a development of the earlier 155mm towed FH77 L39, of which more than 700 were produced and are in service with the Swedish, Nigerian and Indian armed forces.
The vehicle platform is a modification of the Volvo A30D 6×6 articulated all-terrain hauler vehicle. The vehicle cabin and engine compartment are fully armoured and the cab is fitted with bullet and fragmentation-proof windows. The cabin seats up to four personnel. The howitzer is operated by three or four crew.
The vehicle carries 20 155mm projectiles in the fully automatic magazine and an additional 20 projectiles for reload. 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 gun 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. The range of the gun is extended to 60 km with the precision-guided Raytheon / Bofors XM982 Excalibur round. The Excalibur shell is corrected in flight towards a pre-programmed trajectory by a GPS guidance system.
The system is designed for high strategic, operational and tactical mobility. The vehicle can reach road-speeds of up to 70 km/h, is capable of traversing snow up to a depth of 100 cm, is rail transportable and can be air-transportable in the new A400M 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 0° to +70° and -75° to +75°. The initial deployment time and the redeployment times are each less than 30 seconds. The system provides precision strike firepower and high sustained firepower for support and for deep firing operations with more than 25t of ammunition per gun and 24-hour operation. The howitzer has a continuous fire rate of 75 rounds an hour, an intensive fire rate of 20 rounds (i.e. a full magazine) in 2.5 minutes, and a salvo fire rate of three rounds in 15 seconds. The MRSI capability, multiple round simultaneous impact, is up to six rounds. Direct-sighting can be used for target ranges up to 2,000m.