The BAE Systems FH 77 BW L52 Archer self-propelled howitzer is a state-of-the-art tactical artillery vehicle and weapons platform. The vehicles firing range is 40 km with conventional 155mm ammunition and 60 km with precision guided munitions like the M982 Excalibur. ARCHER carries 21 complete rounds ready to fire in fully automated magazines. The entire gun system is controlled by operators from the armored cabin. Thus no personnel outside the cabin during firing. ARCHER can be operated by one person, but the cabin has four workspaces. A standard team consists of the gun commander, the gun operator and the driver. ARCHER has a road-speed of up to 70 km/h and can be air-transported by A400 M From being on the run it takes less than 30 seconds to receive a call for fire, stop, get into action and fire the first round. When the mission is accomplished it takes less than 30 seconds to get out of action and being on the move again. It can fire a salvo of 3 rounds in 15 seconds and intensive fire of 20 rounds (a full magazine) in 2.5 minutes.
In this exclusive interview, I sit down with Dan Furber from BAE Systems to discuss the Archer 8x8 self propelled artillery system, its capabilities, design philosophy, and the lessons learned from modern conflicts that continue to shape the future of artillery warfare.
We dive into the Archer’s automated loading system, rapid shoot and scoot capability, crew protection, mobility, and how advanced fire control technology allows it to deliver devastating firepower while keeping soldiers out of harm’s way. We also discuss the growing importance of long range precision fires and where systems like Archer fit into the future battlefield.
A huge thank you to Dan Furber and the team at BAE Systems for taking the time to discuss one of the most advanced artillery platforms currently in service.
This is a talk with the head of artillery at BAE so take everything with a grain of salt, but this is a very knowledgeable conversation and the person being interviewed is a former artillery operator so he knows what he is talking about.
Of particular note here is the discussion about bast overpressure effects on the human brain over time from consistent exposure from being nearby heavy weapons firing most especially artillery. I am a bit surprised Matsimus hasn’t considered this, it really is a massive health impact on everyone involved in warfare and it gets ignored in favor of other forms of more brutal violence but it is not something to be ignored especially because with modern technology like Archer the damage can almost be entirely eliminated by placing the human crew inside an acoustically protected truck cab while firing.
Not only is this video relevant to get an idea of why the Archer 155mm artillery system is so effective in Ukraine but also the discussion about mitigating blast overpressure impacts in design is a major concern to Ukraine. Technologies like unmanned ground vehicles mounted with 0.50 cal machine guns have to be appreciated as in large part tools to move machine gunners further from the machine gun they are firing which obviously increases tactical survivability but also crucially it decreases cognitive damage from longterm exposure by a huge amount from overpressure. The same principle applies for all heavy weapons, artillery being the most high energy example.
The health of artillery operators being impacted from proximity to blast overpressure has to be taken seriously and the invisibility of it risks allowing this huge amount of longterm injury to be unnecessarily taken on as a burden. This is a solvable problem for the most part.
The August 8, 2024, DoD Policy Memorandum for Managing Brain Health Risks from Blast Overpressure identifies several occupational specialties at increased risk of BOP. These include Engineer–General Engineer Officer (12A) and Combat Engineer (12B); Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Officers and Specialists (74A/D); Military Police (31B); and Explosive Ordinance Disposal Officers and Technicians (89A/D) among others, including civilian equivalents. Soldiers and civilians in any military occupational specialty (MOS) who serve as instructors on BOP-producing weapon systems are also considered high-risk. Within the Army Engineer Regiment, Bridge Crewmembers (12Cs) and Quarry Specialists (12Gs) warrant inclusion due to their routine work with explosives.3
The memorandum also lists high-BOP-producing weapon systems, such as the M2A1 .50-caliber machine gun, the M136A1 anti-tank 4 (AT4), and various breaching explosives. Personnel assigned to these systems are likewise at increased risk. High-risk Soldiers must complete an annual cognitive reassessment, while all others are required to retest at least every three years. Similar to annual hearing evaluations, cognitive monitoring is only reported to medical providers when a deviation from a baseline is detected. Commanders can track their units’ cognitive assessments through the Medical Protection System (MEDPROS) Commander’s Portal under the NCAT indicator.45