Uk Deploys Buggy Howitzer Combo After Losing Archers Defense Giants

The British Armed Forces currently face a clear shortage of modern artillery, with only 14 Archer SPGs and just over a hundred 105mm L118 Light Gun towed howitzers, following the withdrawal of the 155mm AS90 SPG. Despite this, London has not yet formalized the planned contract for the latest RCH 155.

However, a defense company alliance called Team Lionstrike, comprising British giant BAE Systems, American General Motors Defense, and the relatively lesser-known British NP Aerospace, has offered the British Army what it calls the "RCH 155 on a budget."

And while the "Budget RCH 155" isn't being promoted as a full-fledged SPG alternative, it certainly illustrates what the British armed forces will be left with if orders for new 155mm artillery systems are further delayed.

However, the combination of a nine-seat ISV buggy, specifically adapted to tow the 105mm L118 light gun, and equipped with a machine gun and smokescreen system, remains unnamed. However, this version is proposed to be included in the official proposal to the British Ministry of Defence under the Land Mobility Programme (LMP), Jane's reported.

The product demonstration was part of a program on Team LionStrike products being offered to the British Army under the LMP. And NP Aerospace reported that a total of two vehicle platforms and their variants are being offered: the GSUP and Silverado 1500 ZR2, which are based on the Chevrolet S10 work truck, as well as the ISV buggy, which is based on the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2.

However, the ISV version of the L118 light gun was not singled out and was the focus of an official British military publication, with only one available photo.

It's worth noting that the Land Mobility Program focuses on replacing a full range of British Army vehicles and their functions, covering a wide range of tasks, from runabout Land Rovers and Pinzgauers to Foxhound and Mastiff armored vehicles and FV432 armored personnel carriers. The total program volume is estimated to be approximately 7,000 different vehicles and a total cost of approximately £4.8 billion ($6.4 billion).

It's also worth noting that the US has begun replacing Stryker APCs with open M1301 ISV buggies. And they're touting these doorless buggies as even better than MRAPs.