Latvia and Sweden have signed a purchase agreement which firms up the former’s plans to procure 18 ARCHER self-propelled howitzer from BAE Systems Hägglunds. A letter of intent had been signed last year to launch the project.

The deal is accompanied by plans for a long term cooperation between the two Countries, with a planned deployment of Sweden’s ARCHERs to Latvia later this year. The two Nations plan to establish a joint ARCHER unit facilitating joint training and exercises.

The value of the contract is as yet undisclosed. The howitzers will use the MAN HX2 8x8 truck base which has become the new “standard” as part of the production of new howitzers for Sweden. The new 8x8 truck base replaces the earlier, iconic Volvo A30D articulated 6x6 base which initially equipped Sweden’s artillery and was originally due to be operated also by Norway.

With Sweden renewing  and expanding its ARCHER fleet, it will progressively cease using the Volvo 6x6 vehicles, which remain in use in Ukraine and in the United Kingdom (14 procured second-hand from Sweden as partial gap-filler between the grant of all AS90s to Ukraine and the entry into service of BOXER RCH155 towards the end of the decade).

Sweden originally procured 24 Volvo-base ARCHER, but ended up taking the 24 originally meant for Norway as well (in 2013). Of those 48, only about 8 remain operational in Sweden, with 14 sold to the UK and the others granted to Ukraine between 2023 and early 2026.

Sweden has 48 new ARCHER HX2 8x8 on order and has committed to supplying 36 to Ukraine on top.  

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