Archer 8×8 vs. Archer 6×6: Why Sweden is changing its chassis and beefing up its artillery
The Archer self-propelled gun in its original configuration is based on the Volvo A30 6×6 chassis.
Following the sale and transfer of some Archer self-propelled artillery systems abroad, the Swedish Army is refurbishing and expanding its fleet. In August, the first four vehicles with modern configurations were delivered, with two more expected in the fall. The customer expects to receive all 48 new self-propelled artillery systems by the end of the decade. However, the final fleet size will depend on the fate of the 24 vehicles with the previous version.
First batch
On September 13, 2023, the Swedish Defence Material Administration (FMV) and BAE Systems Bofors signed a contract for the production of 48 Archer 8×8 self-propelled howitzers. The contractor planned to deliver the first vehicle to FMV in 2025, with the entire order expected to be completed no later than 2030.
This program has several distinct stages. The manufacturer delivers the FMV vehicles, followed by acceptance and testing, and only then are the vehicles delivered to the armed forces. The first firing of the Archer 8x8 took place in October 2025.
According to BAE Systems, the ceremony took place on August 25 at the Villingsberg proving ground. The following day, the FMV announced the delivery of the first four self-propelled guns to the armed forces. The new vehicles were delivered to the 9th Bergslagen Regiment. artillery regiment (A 9 Bergslagens artilleriregemente).
The first four self-propelled guns will be used for personnel training. By the end of autumn, Regiment A 9 is scheduled to receive two more self-propelled guns; all six vehicles in the first training group are intended for artillery training. They are then planned to be integrated into the newly formed combat units.
A variant of the self-propelled gun based on the HX2 chassis
Following the delivery of these six, FMV will begin delivering the remaining 42 self-propelled guns to the armed forces. The official schedule only specifies a deadline: the entire order must be completed no later than 2030. The exact dates and batches of the remaining vehicles have not yet been announced.
Ebb and flow
Work on the future Archer began long before the current contract. Research into a self-propelled system on a dump truck chassis began in 1995, and the full-scale project began in 2006. Collaboration with Norway began in 2008; in March 2010, the Swedish FMV and the Norwegian organization FLO decided on serial production.
The first four units were delivered to FMV in September 2013, and the first vehicle in the production batch was accepted in September 2015. Norway withdrew from the program at the end of 2013. In 2016, the Swedish government proposed purchasing an additional 24 self-propelled guns for its own armed forces, previously intended for a Norwegian customer. The last of the 48 units in the previous program was delivered to FMV in November 2022.
The first self-propelled guns of the new modification, August 2026.
The Swedish Army used the second batch of Archers to re-equip its combat units, while placing some of the older vehicles into storage. Plans were made to return them to service if necessary.
By October 2025, the FMV had completed the upgrade of 24 Archer 6×6 vehicles and announced that the entire fleet of this modification had been upgraded to Version C. However, if we subtract the 14 vehicles sold to the UK and the eight transferred to Ukraine from the previous 48, the total number is 26. The status of two more systems is unclear in the official publications reviewed. Furthermore, publicly available documents do not allow us to confirm that each of the 24 upgraded vehicles is technically combat-ready on a specific date.
In March 2023, the United Kingdom agreed to purchase 14 Archers. The first vehicle was delivered by Sweden in September of that year; FMV then began the sequential delivery of the remaining 13 systems.
Sweden transferred another eight self-propelled guns to Ukraine; by mid-November 2023, they were already in the recipient's possession. There is no reliable, open, individual inventory of their subsequent losses available in accessible sources, so the exact number of destroyed and damaged vehicles remains uncertain.
In March 2025, the Swedish government separately authorized FMV to purchase an additional 18 Archers for subsequent delivery to Ukraine. This order is not related to the 48-vehicle program for the Swedish Army and should not be counted toward its future fleet.
In a new look
Previous Swedish Archers were built on the Volvo A30 6×6 articulated chassis; in FMV documents, the base vehicle is designated the A30E. For the new version, a four-axle chassis from Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles (RMMV) of the HX2 family was selected. Rheinmetall is supplying the chassis with protected cabs, and BAE Systems Bofors is integrating the gun system.
The transition to the HX2 primarily improves road and operational mobility: the new vehicle reaches 80–90 km/h compared to 50–60 km/h for the dump truck version. The protected cabin improves crew conditions, and the use of the HX2 family, already in service with the Swedish army, facilitates operation and supply. Four axles alone are not enough to claim a clear advantage over the articulated Volvo in off-road capability.
The new self-propelled gun's artillery system is similar to that of the Archer 6×6 and the FH77B field howitzer. It features an automated 155mm gun with a 52-caliber barrel, mounted in a remotely controlled weapon station. The crew prepares the gun for firing and fires it from a protected cabin.
The autoloader feeds the projectile and propellant charge separately. The range depends on the ammunition used: the FMV indicates a range of over 50 km when using the appropriate rounds.
The automated fire control system receives and processes data and controls the weapon station. Shifting to a combat or stowed position takes approximately 20 seconds. According to the FMV, the Archer 8x8 can fire six rounds, leave its firing position, and retreat 500 meters in less than two minutes; the crew remains in the protected cabin during this time. This is the FMV's description of the system's normal operating cycle; it is not an independent assessment of combat effectiveness.
Plans for the future
According to FMV, the current fleet of the previous model includes 24 upgraded Archer 6×6s. After the delivery of the first four Archer 8×8s, the provisional inventory count is 28 vehicles of both models, and after the delivery of two more training systems, 30. The contract then calls for 42 new self-propelled guns to be delivered. This count does not equal the confirmed number of technically ready vehicles and does not include two systems with an unspecified status.
The future outcome depends on the fate of the old vehicles. If all 24 Archer 6x6s are retained and the order for 48 Archer 8x8s is fulfilled, the fleet could reach 72 units—triple the original 24. If the existing units are completely replaced, the 48 new vehicles would double the fleet size. Neither of these options can yet be considered a definitive fleet structure.
The contract expands the fleet of self-propelled guns. The new Archers feature improved road mobility, a protected cabin, and commonality with the HX2 family. However, this does not guarantee a proportional increase in combat effectiveness. The program's outcome will depend on the pace of deliveries, crew training, unit formation, ammunition availability, repairs, and the decision on the Archer 6x6.
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