Ukraine's 'shoot and run' self-propelled gun

Ukraine began deploying Archer self-propelled guns, which can fire three shots in succession and then quickly move in about a minute, making it difficult for Russia to respond.

The Ukrainian military released the first images of the Archer self-propelled howitzer in action in early November. It is part of a military aid package to Ukraine announced by Sweden in January, which includes Strv 122 main battle tanks, CV90 infantry fighting vehicles, Bgv 90 armored recovery vehicles and Archer howitzers.

This howitzer is assigned to the 45th Independent Artillery Brigade of Ukraine, a force participating in the defense around the eastern city of Kreminna. In addition to the Archer howitzer, this force is also equipped with many other modern weapons such as M777 and FH77 howitzers, anti-tank missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

The commander of the Ukrainian army (center) and soldiers stand in front of the Archer gun in this photo released on November 3. Photo: X/Ukraine Front

Swedish Defense Minister Pal Johnson confirmed that Stockholm has delivered eight Archer howitzers to Ukraine. "With their speed, accuracy and mobility, the Archer will help Ukraine regain its territory," Johnson stressed. Sweden plans to provide Ukraine with four more Archer howitzers in the near future.

Archer is a wheeled self-propelled artillery system developed by the Swedish defense corporation Bofors (now BAE Systems Bofors) and deployed to the Swedish army since 2013, using the main weapon of the 155 mm FH77 gun mounted on a Volvo A30D 6x6 truck chassis, which can move at a maximum speed of 75 km/h on flat ground, with a range of 500 km. The crew consists of 4 people, including the commander, driver and two gun operators.

An Archer battery consists of three vehicles, in addition to the gun carrier, there is also an ammunition carrier and a logistics vehicle, which is responsible for supply and maintenance. During combat, these two vehicles will retreat to the rear to avoid being ambushed.

The Archer uses standard NATO-made 155mm ammunition, but has a longer range than many other guns using the same ammunition, partly because it is designed to be able to load a large amount of propellant without the barrel breaking.

Archer self-propelled gun test fired in 2011. Photo: Swedish Army

"The crew can load up to 6.5 charges in a single shot, allowing the gun to fire a round more than 40 km. This range is greater than most other guns on the Ukrainian battlefield, except for larger caliber guns like the 2S7 203 mm," said Forbes military expert David Axe.

The Archer is equipped with an autoloader, allowing it to fire 8-9 rounds per minute. The gun has a MRSI burst mode, allowing it to fire a burst of three rounds with different trajectories and simultaneously at the same target within about 15 seconds, by adjusting the firing angle and propellant charge.

The Archer's barrel can be lowered parallel to the ground and fired directly like a tank, allowing it to be used as an assault vehicle in an emergency.

The Archer's greatest advantage is its mobility. It takes the crew only about 30 seconds to get the Archer into combat mode, and just as long to fire three rounds in succession, retrieve the gun, and begin moving. This allows the gun to move to another position before the volley reaches its target, making it difficult for the enemy to counterattack.

The Archer is also equipped with a special Barrucada camouflage, which makes it more "invisible" to infrared sensors. It has stronger armor than many other howitzers, able to withstand 7.62mm armor-piercing bullets and fragments.

Artillery that can help Ukraine 'harass' Russian targets

Archer gun's "shoot and run" feature. Video : BAE Systems

According to expert Axe, 8 Archer guns are not a large enough number to help Ukraine change the situation on the battlefield, but the special features of this gun model still give Kiev an advantage, as they can harass Russian targets without worrying about being retaliated by the enemy.

"It is unclear whether any other artillery system can compare to Archer when considering all three criteria: speed, range and ability to simultaneously attack targets," the expert commented.

Pham Giang (According to Forbes, Euromaidan, Kyiv Post )

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