QinetiQ to test British Army’s remote-controlled artillery systems
Image courtesy QinetiQ
This contract follows last week’s announcement of the signing of a production contract for 72 RCH155 that will be the British Army’s long term 155mm Close Support Artillery solution.
QinetiQ’s teams will test and assure the RCH155 under the new £18 million, multiyear contract. The work will take place at sites the company operates under its Long Term Partnering Agreement with the Ministry of Defence, as well as its own sites across the country.
RCH155 is KNDS developed and is being procured through a UK-Germany collaboration. It combines the firepower and range of the automatic and remote-controlled Artillery Gun Module (AGM), with the protection and mobility of the Boxer wheeled armoured vehicle. The RCH155 is capable of responding to threats from up to 70km away in seconds, switch targets without needing to reposition, with the platform’s ability to rapidly redeploy meaning it can evade enemy fire more easily.
QinetiQ will conduct trials, assuring every element of the RCH155 from how safe the ammunition will be to the degradation of the gun barrel over time, and even how environmental factors such as extremes of temperature will affect the safety of the platform and those who operate it.
Will Blamey, Chief Executive UK Defence, QinetiQ, said: “Our teams across the UK are ready to ensure the RCH155 meets the necessary high standards for safety and performance in order to meet the needs of the British Army.
“QinetiQ, working under the Long Term Partnering Agreement with the Ministry of Defence, is in a unique position to fully understand, test, and assure this platform under the range of conditions available at different UK QinetiQ sites.”
Ed Cutts, the Army’s Senior Responsible Owner for the Mobile Fires Platform, said: “This announcement, as part of the MoD and QinetiQ’s Long Term Partnering Agreement, is a significant step forward in the development of the British Army’s long term 155mm Close Support artillery capability. It follows the UK’s announcement of a circa £1 billion series production contract and will ensure the Army’s future capability is appropriately tested and qualified in a range of environments and settings. This contract reflects the criticality of giving fully operable and safe, capability to the British Army at an expedited pace.”
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