Defence Online

British Army personnel have demonstrated a first live firing of a next-generation howitzer amidst freezing conditions in one of the largest series of NATO artillery exercises ever conducted in Europe.

As temperatures plummeted to -3 degrees celsius just outside the Arctic Circle, 350 Army personnel joined soldiers from 28 countries – including NATO’s newest member Finland – on Exercise Dynamic Front 25.

During the 12 days of training, which began on the 14 November, the Army demonstrated its capability by conducting its first live firing on exercise with the Archer Mobile Howitzer – an artillery system with fully automated gun designed for rapid deployment. The system, which can fire more than eight rounds a minute at a range of 50km, was procured at speed from Sweden last year.

Also demonstrated in training were the enemy artillery detection radar, TAIPAN, and the UK’s Multiple Launch Rocket System, which can fire up to 12 rockets or missiles in less than a minute.

The training is the first in a wider NATO Dynamic Front 25 series, which takes place across four more countries in the coming months and aims to coordinate live fire artillery capabilities between allied nations from the Arctic Circle to the Black Sea. The exercise reinforces the government’s ‘NATO first’ defence strategy which has seen it set European security as its defence priority and commit to spending 2.5% of GDP on defence.

Minister for the Armed Forces Luke Pollard MP said: “The successful live firing of the powerful Archer Mobile Howitzer shows we are equipping our Armed Forces with the latest battle-winning weaponry to help keep the UK secure at home and strong abroad.

“This joint exercise reiterates our unshakeable commitment to NATO and demonstrates our collective readiness to meet emerging threats and deter aggression across Europe.”

The exercise focused on advanced NATO technology, with soldiers connecting different military systems from multiple members of the alliance. This allowed shared information to rapidly direct responses across the field.

This comes a month after the UK announced it will strengthen NATO’s eastern flank with a new defence roadmap signed with Estonia. The joint declaration will see thousands of UK troops held at high readiness, ready to defend NATO’s eastern flank, in addition to those deployed in Estonia. It will also boost cooperation on developing long range missiles with NATO Allies, improving the alliance’s collective air defence and offering opportunities to UK defence industry.

It is the first time Finland has hosted a major international military exercise since becoming a NATO member following Russia’s illegal full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Image: BAE Systems

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