Archer Artillery System The Archer Artillery System or Archer - FH77BW L52 is an international project aimed at developing a next - generation self - propelled artillery system for Sweden and Norway . The heart of the system is a fully automated 155 mm / L52 gun howitzer and a M151 Protector remote controlled weapon station mounted on a modified 6×6 chassis of the Volvo A30D , all - terrain articulated hauler . The crew and engine compartment is armoured and the cab is fitted with bullet and fragmentation - proof windows . Aside from this , the system consists of an ammunition resupply vehicle , a support vehicle , BONUS Sensor - fused Artillery Shell and the M982 Excalibur guided projectile . Development . The project began its life in 1995 as earlier studies for a self - propelled system based on the FH 77 . Further test systems received the designation FH 77BD and FH 77BW . By 2004 , two prototypes had been ordered based on a lengthened version of the FH 77B mounted on a modified Volvo Construction Equipment A30D dump truck ( 6×6 Volvo chassis ) . In 2008 , Sweden ordered a first batch of seven units , while Norway ordered one . In August 2009 , Norway and Sweden ordered 24 Archers each , in a cooperative deal . The Howitzer was developed for the Swedish armed forces following a contract awarded to Bofors ( now BAE Systems Bofors ) in 2003 by Försvarets Materielverk ( FMV ) , the Swedish defence acquisition agency to build two demonstrator howitzers . The prototype FH77 BW L52 self - propelled howitzers entered firing trials in Sweden in 2005 and 2006 . In September 2006 , the FMV placed a contract for detailed design work on Archer and , in January 2007 , a contract for the next development phase . The Swedish Army has a requirement for 24 systems ( two battalions ) . Following In September 2008 , the Swedish government approved the final development and procurement of the Archer artillery system . In November 2008 , Sweden and Norway signed a co - operative agreement for the development of the Archer system and , in January 2009 , awarded BAE Systems a contract to complete development of the artillery system with the exception of the remote weapon system which is made by Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace . A final prototype is scheduled for completion by September 2009 , which is expected to be followed by a contract for 48 systems – 24 for Sweden and 24 for Norway . Archer was planned to enter service in 2011 but was delayed until October 2013 . This because of unforeseen technical problems . The Swedish Army received its first four pre - serial production FH - 77 BW L52 Archer systems on 23 September 2013 . Vehicle platform . The vehicle platform is a modification of the Volvo A30D 6×6 articulated all - terrain hauler vehicle . The vehicle cabin and engine compartment are fully armoured and the cab is fitted with bullet and fragmentation - proof windows . The cabin seats up to four personnel . The howitzer is operated by three or four crew . The system also includes a munition carrier consisting of a removable , modified standard container mounted on a ballistic - proofed all - terrain lorry . Ammunition . The vehicle carries 21 155mm projectiles in the fully automatic magazine . Reloading the magazine from the accompanying munitions carrier takes about 10 minutes using the purpose - built lifting device . The howitzer can use NATO modular charges or Bofors Uniflex 2 modular charges . The Uniflex 2IM modular charge system consists of two sizes of combustible charge cases ; one full - size and one half - size case , both filled with the same type of insensitive ( GuDN ) propellant . The modular charge system allows several increments of charge to be available and increases the gun system ' s multiple rounds simultaneous impact ( MRSI ) capability and good range overlap between the increments . With BAE Bofors / Nexter Bonus rounds the range is 35 km . The range of the gun is extended to 60 km with the precision - guided Raytheon / Bofors XM982 Excalibur round . The Excalibur shell is corrected in flight towards a pre - programmed trajectory by a GPS guidance system . Deployment . The system is designed for high strategic , operational and tactical mobility . The vehicle can reach road - speeds of up to 70 km / h , is capable of traversing snow up to a depth of 100 cm , is rail transportable and can be air - transportable in the new A400M aircraft . A large hydraulically operated stabilizer is installed in the rear of the chassis and is lowered with the vehicle in the selected firing position . The gun elevation and traverse ranges are 0° to + 70° and −75° to + 75° . The initial deployment time and the redeployment times are each less than 30 seconds . The system provides precision strike and high sustained firepower for support and for deep firing operations with more than 25 t of ammunition per gun and 24 - hour operation . The howitzer has a continuous fire rate of 75 rounds per hour , an intensive fire rate of 20 rounds ( i . e . , a full magazine ) in 2 . 5 minutes ( effective rate , 480 per hour ) , and a salvo fire rate of three rounds in 15 seconds ( effective rate , 720 per hour ) . The MRSI capability , multiple round simultaneous impact , is up to 6 rounds . Direct - sighting can be used for target ranges up to 2 , 000 m . References . fmv . se ( Swedish )