Finland presents prototype of 155mm ARVE self-propelled howitzer on 8×8 wheeled chassis
Finland, March 23, 2025 – The ARVE self-propelled howitzer was presented at the “Arctic Event 2025”, organized by Patria in Lapland. Previously, Finland, based on its theoretical considerations published long before the war, preferred towed artillery. Currently, the Finnish armed forces have apparently not yet made a request for a self-propelled gun, but Patria anticipates it and has been proactively developing a new weapon.
Experience from the Ukrainian battlefield, where indirect fire proved to be very important, and the later deployment of drones increased the emphasis on the mobility and speed of reaction of artillery systems, may have contributed to this.
For this reason, the proposed solution uses elements of the existing Finnish towed howitzer 155GH52 (the Finnish armed forces use the designation 155 K 98), which was also produced by Patria in the past. According to available reports, the Finnish troops still have 56 pieces of the 52-caliber gun in service, which in 1998 followed up on the production of the previous model of the 155 mm gun with a barrel length of 39 calibers.
These pieces could be used in combination with 8×8 chassis immediately. Some sources speculate that they could even be installed there while maintaining the auxiliary engine (78 kW Deutz), which ensured a certain degree of mobility of the original towed gun on the battlefield, especially in relation to the towing vehicle. An alternative is to resume production of new guns for the ARVE project, with a view to its possible export or the growth of the requirements of the domestic armed forces.
A Finnish military demonstration to the public of the original 155 K 98 clearly explains the use of an auxiliary drive for a towed gun:
Foreign report on ARVE:
The ARVE prototype uses the usual design scheme for self-propelled turretless howitzers in its class. The weapon is mounted in the rear of an armored truck, with the gun carriage arms lowered before firing, which allows most of the recoil to enter the ground. The firing of the first shell from the ARVE stops takes about 90 seconds, while the loading system is manual, accelerated by a flick rammer (usually a hydraulic/electro-hydraulic loading mechanism, a device that ultimately speeds up the loading of the shell into the barrel, reduces operator fatigue, and increases loading reliability). The maximum rate of fire is eight rounds per minute, three rounds in the first 15 seconds, while the sustained rate of fire is two rounds per minute, with a crew of six. Other sources say up to 10 rounds per minute and 3 rounds in 12 seconds. For the original towed howitzer, the rate of fire was given in the range of 6-10 rounds per minute and 3 rounds in 12 seconds.
The ammunition is stored in boxes located along the truck, a total of 24 pieces of complete ammunition are transported. With standard ammunition (probably a bottom-ejection shell is already considered such, with a standard shell the original towed gun had a range of 28 km) the maximum range is 40 km.
The elevation angle (elevation) is in the range from -3° to +60°. If the initial available data are confirmed, at least in the range of elevation +12° and +60°, the ARVE can fire with a measurement of -90°/+50°, the question is whether this sector will not change in the direct fire mode. After the end of the fire, the self-propelled gun will leave the position in approximately 45 seconds.
The artillery system is installed on a Sisu E13TP 8×8 truck, while the entire complex has a length of 11.5 meters, a width of 2.6 meters and a height of 3.5 meters, the maximum combat weight is almost 28 tons. Powered by a 500 horsepower engine, it can reach a maximum speed on the road of over 100 km/h and has a range of over 600 km, while its tank contains 400 liters of fuel. In terms of mobility, it can climb 30° (57.7%) and wade through a 1 meter deep water obstacle.
The system in the form in which it was demonstrated was developed in one year, as its basic components already existed. It can be used for prompt modernization of Finnish artillery and further development, Patria is also potentially considering a version with automatic loading and fire control. The weapon will also represent competition on the international market for Slovak products such as the Zuzana 2 and Eva M2.
Max Bach
