BAE Systems and AMS Integrated Solutions Ltd said on Dec. 18 that they signed an agreement in Kyiv to support artillery systems given by the United Kingdom to Ukraine to counter Russian forces there.
Such systems include BAE Systems’ 155 mm self-propelled AS-90, the L119 105mm howitzer, and the 155mm M109 self-propelled howitzer.
“Under the agreement, the BAE Systems and AMS team will offer repair and support services for artillery systems donated by the U.K. government,” BAE and AMS said. “AMS would use existing maintenance centers in Ukraine, where it employs Ukrainian engineers.”
The U.K. said in September that it had provided
300,000 artillery shells to Ukraine and is on track for tens of thousands more by the end of the year.
“Both BAE Systems and AMS have significant proven expertise in the support of medium and large caliber weapon systems,” the companies said on Dec. 18. “BAE Systems originally manufactured a significant proportion of the equipment that the U.K. and other governments have provided to Ukraine. The company is currently working with neighboring NATO countries to provide support, training and repairs to the Ukrainian armed forces.”
Reports from the front line in the last two and a half months have suggested that Ukrainian forces have had to reduce barrages because of shell shortages, and there are similar accounts for Russian forces.
BAE Systems said last week that it is teaming with British defense firm Babcock and the Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RSBL) joint venture to offer the Archer mobile artillery system for the U.K.’s upcoming program to field a new 155mm howitzer (Defense Daily, Dec. 11).
RBSL is the lead for the Archer’s chassis, based on Rheinmetall’s HX2 8×8 tactical trucks.
The U.K. in March tapped BAE Systems to provide 14 Archer systems as an interim 155mm artillery solution to replace the AS-90 platforms it donated to aid Ukraine.
In September, Sweden signed a $500 million contract with BAE Systems for the delivery of 48 more Archer mobile artillery systems (Defense Daily, Sept. 14).