Swedish self-propelled guns Archer in Ukraine
Swedish self-propelled gun Archer somewhere in Ukraine. Photo Telegram / BMPD
More than a year ago, it became known that the Swedish government plans to transfer several Archer self-propelled artillery systems to the Kyiv regime. The preparation of such a delivery was seriously delayed, and the first vehicles arrived in Ukraine only a few weeks ago. At the same time, as in the case of other modern foreign models, we are talking about a limited amount of equipment, which will not allow it to realize its full potential and will create additional difficulties.
Plans and supplies
In the recent past, the Swedish ground forces acquired and distributed among artillery units 48 Archer-type self-propelled guns. By the beginning of 2023, only half of this equipment remained in active service, while the rest of the vehicles were sent to reserve. However, they found a use.
Since February-March 2022, the Swedish government has repeatedly provided assistance to the Kyiv regime. In September, the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, announcing the next package of deliveries, announced that in the future Ukraine could be given the Archer self-propelled guns from its own army. However, at that time the issue was at the preliminary stage, and detailed plans were not available.
At the end of October, the Swedish press was able to obtain a classified report from the Ministry of Defense, which provided assessments of the existing army equipment fleet and its potential in the context of assistance to Ukraine. It was reported that, without harm to itself, Sweden could transfer up to 12 wheeled self-propelled guns from stock. The government of the country had to study the information provided and draw up new plans to help the Kyiv regime.
Ukrainian crew at work. Photo Telegram / BMPD
In January 2023, the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs again raised the topic of Archer self-propelled guns. This time, the head of the department, Tobias Billström, said that such machines would be included in the next aid package, but again did not specify the volumes and timing. However, they didn’t wait long - already on January 19, the government approved such a package. It provided for the supply of various property worth 4,3 billion Swedish kronor (approx. 418 million US dollars), incl. an undisclosed number of "Archers".
In mid-March, the planned supply volumes became known. Then the leadership of Sweden and Great Britain entered into a new agreement on cooperation in the field of artillery. In accordance with this document, the Swedish side was supposed to send only eight wheeled self-propelled guns to Ukraine. Two of them were designated as "maintenance" vehicles - probably they were considered as a source of spare parts.
In addition, the Swedish-British agreement provided for the shipment of 14 Swedish self-propelled guns to the UK. Due to this, the latter was supposed to free up its AS-90 self-propelled guns for transfer to the Kyiv regime. The agreement also determined the conditions for joint operation and maintenance of equipment sent from Sweden abroad.
In mid-May, Swedish media reported on a secret training program for Ukrainian personnel. According to them, a Ukrainian brigade of 3-5 thousand people was trained in Sweden. Foreign “guests” mastered Swedish weapons and equipment, including self-propelled Archers.
"Archer" in stowed position. Photo: Swedish Ministry of Defense
Transferred equipment
Over the next few months, there was no reliable information about the supply of Swedish self-propelled guns to Ukraine. As it became known later, the self-propelled guns were shipped and delivered to Ukraine only in early or mid-autumn. It is unknown what caused such delays.
The arrival of Archer products at the disposal of the Kyiv regime became known in early November. This information was confirmed by photographs of combat vehicles and Ukrainian artillerymen. It is reported that the vehicles were transferred to the 45th separate artillery brigade. Judging by the situation in the photographs, the equipment has already entered the combat zone.
During November-December, new photographic materials appeared repeatedly, indicating the use of Archers in combat units. However, there is no reliable information about their combat use yet. It is possible that self-propelled guns are firing and trying to attack our targets, but the effect they have cannot be distinguished from other enemy artillery systems.
It seems that all transferred Swedish self-propelled guns remain in service for now. Information about their destruction has not yet appeared. However, given the sad fate of other foreign equipment that came to Ukraine, news this kind of thing can be expected at almost any time.
Recharging styling. Photo: Swedish Ministry of Defense
Modern artillery
The future Archer self-propelled guns have been developed since the mid-nineties by the Swedish company Bofors (now part of BAE Systems) with the participation of a number of other organizations. Since the end of the XNUMXs, Norwegian industry has been involved in the project. The entire range of tests of experimental equipment and its weapons was carried out in the second half of the same decade, and then the first supply contracts appeared.
Sweden and Norway became the starting customers for Archer - they planned to purchase 24 self-propelled guns each. The Swedish army received its equipment in the first half of the 2016s. Then Norway abandoned its order, and Sweden decided to buy its equipment from the manufacturer in 2023. Deliveries under the additional contract continued until XNUMX.
As a result of all these events, the Swedish army, until recently, was the only operator of the Archer self-propelled guns. Now Ukraine has joined it, and deliveries to the UK are beginning. In addition, the Swedish self-propelled gun is currently participating in the Swiss Army competition.
"Archer" is a combat vehicle on a wheeled chassis, equipped with an automated artillery unit. Serial self-propelled guns have so far been built on the Volvo A30D chassis, but a few years ago a variant based on the Rheinmetall HX2 was proposed. The nose of the chassis houses an armored cabin with crew workstations and a full set of controls. In the stern there is a combat module of the original design.
Archer solves the fire problem. Photo: Swedish Ministry of Defense
The combat module is made in the form of a swinging casing in which the gun and loading mechanisms are installed. Its design provides horizontal guidance within 85° to the right and left of the neutral position and vertical guidance up to +70°. The module is equipped with a 155-mm gun with a barrel length of 52 klb, made on the basis of the serial FH-77 howitzer. The gun has a developed muzzle brake and is mounted on hydropneumatic recoil devices.
Inside the casing there is a mechanized stowage system for 21 155 mm caliber projectiles and 126 propellant charge modules, as well as mechanisms for feeding ammunition into the barrel. The automatic loader provides a maximum rate of fire of up to 8 rounds/min. During prolonged shooting, the rate is reduced to 1-1,5 rounds/min. After the transported ammunition is used up, reloading is required using an ammunition transporter.
The Archer self-propelled gun received an advanced fire control system for its time. It included satellite and inertial navigation tools, a ballistic computer with different fire modes, remote control of the combat module, a programmer for working with projectiles, etc. Due to such a fire control system, the time required to prepare for firing is reduced and accuracy is increased.
The relatively long barrel gives a high firing range. "Archer" sends a conventional projectile at a range of up to 30 km. The active-reactive firing range is up to 40-60 km, depending on its type. When using guided munitions, increased accuracy and probability of hitting a target are claimed.
Advantages and disadvantages
The Archer self-propelled gun was created in the recent past, taking into account the accumulated experience and new concepts for the use of self-propelled artillery. As a result, it has a number of important features that are advantages in most situations. At the same time, self-propelled guns are not without drawbacks and may face known risks.
New modification of Archer on the HX2 chassis. Photo by BAE Systems
The strengths of the Archer are considered to be high mobility and mobility, provided by the wheeled chassis. The vehicle can quickly move along roads and terrain, which simplifies transfer and access to a firing position. Modern and advanced electronics simplify the work of the crew as a whole and speed up the execution of basic procedures, which has a positive effect on survivability. In addition, an original combat module with an automatic loader was used, which makes it possible to solve a fire mission and leave the position in a minimum amount of time. At the same time, a long-barreled gun allows one to obtain high range characteristics.
However, there are also disadvantages, some of which are directly related to the advantages of self-propelled guns. Thus, the wheeled chassis is convenient on paved roads, but on off-road and rough terrain it risks getting bogged down, making the self-propelled gun an easy target. The automatic loader carries limited ammunition, and the ability to fire for a long time without reloading is seriously limited. In addition, the survivability of such a machine raises questions. Key units, including ammunition stowage, have little armor and can be hit by a variety of means.
It should be expected that Ukrainian artillerymen will not be able to fully use all the characteristic features and advantages of the Archer. This will be prevented by objective factors of a technical and other nature, active opposition from the Russian army and illiterate operation by Ukrainian artillerymen.
It was reported that Ukraine will receive only eight Swedish self-propelled guns, two of which are not intended for combat use and will be used for spare parts. The six remaining vehicles, even successful ones with high performance, will not be able to influence the state of the Ukrainian artillery. At the same time, the Russian army will try to quickly destroy them or take them as a trophy for study.
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