Sweden plans to deploy the first wheeled artillery systems Archer in Latvia this year, said Swedish Defense Minister Paul Jonson, who met with Latvian Defense Minister Andris Spruds in Riga on Friday, the Latvian Ministry of Defense reported.
Two ministers signed a roadmap to strengthen defense cooperation between Latvia and Sweden.
The Archer is a self-propelled artillery system (SPAS) mounted on a wheeled chassis, known for its high rate of fire, accuracy, and automation, used by Sweden and Ukraine. The English word "Archer" translates to "bowman."
The caliber of the Archer SPAS is 155 mm, with a firing range of 30-60 km, a rate of fire of 1 shot every 7.5 seconds (on different trajectories), and 20 shots in 2.5 minutes.
The howitzer, which costs about 4 million euros, is built on the Volvo A30D 6x6 chassis and has been produced by them since 2013.
The 8x8 version serves as the base for a new modification of the system, as the 6x6 is no longer in production. The new 8x8 version includes a larger number of ammunition and several other changes. Both systems are fully autonomous.
After Latvia receives the 8x8 systems, the 6x6 units will be returned to Sweden. The ministry does not comment on specific costs and the number of SPAS.
