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Artillery & MLRS

Sweden

BAE Systems

Archer Artillery System

A Swedish fully-automated, truck-mounted 155 mm self-propelled howitzer that can fire its first round within 30 seconds of stopping and relocate immediately after firing to avoid counter-battery fire. Developed by BAE Systems Bofors, it has been supplied to Ukraine and ordered by several European armies.

In service since 2016 · 3 operator countries

Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02

155

mm gun

30,000

Procurement snapshot

Availability & export

Swedish export-licensed

ISP licensing; EU/Wassenaar controls.

Channel: Direct commercial / G2G

Fielded & proven

Limited · 3 operators

In service since 2016. Status: active · ~60 built.

Lifecycle cost (est.)

No public unit price to model from. Why so few systems publish one →

Interoperability

155 mm NATO artillery

Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.

Full specifications

Performance

Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.

Performance specifications
Rate of fire Rounds per minute (cyclic). Higher increases suppression and hit probability.	8 rpm Stronger than 70% of artillery systems

Firepower

Armament, payload and guidance.

Firepower specifications
Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type.	155 mm L52 howitzer
Caliber Bore diameter of the main gun or rifle. Larger throws heavier projectiles; not simply better, ammunition commonality matters.	155 mm
Ammunition Rounds carried (main gun) or standard magazine capacity.	21 Stronger than 40% of artillery systems
Max firing range Maximum range of the main gun or rocket artillery (with assisted/extended-range munitions where noted). Higher extends reach.	60 km Stronger than 68% of artillery systems

Physical

Dimensions, weight and crew.

Physical specifications
Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.	14.3 m
Width Overall width, matters for rail/road transport of vehicles.	3 m
Height Overall height. Lower profile is harder to spot and hit for ground vehicles.	4 m
Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor.	30,000 kg
Crew Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity.	4

Propulsion

Engine, power and fuel.

Propulsion specifications
Engine Powerplant model and type.	Volvo D9B AC E3 diesel inline-6
Engine power Engine output power. Higher moves more weight faster.	338 hp Bottom 8% of artillery systems
Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…	Diesel

Program

Cost, production scale and operators.

Program specifications
Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.	60 Bottom 5% of artillery systems
Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.	3 Stronger than 42% of artillery systems

Specifications compiled from public BAE Systems and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.

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