Switzerland has finally ordered its 155mm wheeled self-propelled howitzers, the AGM on Piranha IV chassis, marketed by KNDS as the DONAR 10x10. The deal has gone largely as expected, covering 32 units with deliveries beginning in 2031.
According to KNDS, the prime contractor, the agreement also includes 32 ammunition loading containers, training equipment, and comprehensive logistical support. Swiss company GDELS-MOWAG is responsible for chassis production as a subcontractor.
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Switzerland's Federal Office for Defense Procurement adds that in addition to the 32 series-production howitzers, one prototype in the final configuration has also been ordered. It is to be completed in 2027 and submitted for qualification testing in 2028.
Defense Express notes that the Swiss effectively spent 19 months preparing to sign the contract after making their final selection back in November 2024, with the broader new SPH procurement programme having been underway since 2022.
On the systems themselves: they appear to be referred to interchangeably as the AGM (Artillery Gun Module) on Piranha IV and the DONAR 10x10. Its close system, to the RCH 155 that Ukraine is awaiting, is the same artillery module mounted on the Boxer chassis.
The announcement contains no additional news regarding the RCH 155 for Ukraine beyond a mention that Ukraine’s order sits alongside those from Qatar, the United Kingdom, and Germany. Deliveries to Ukraine's Defence Forces may already have taken place, as was hinted by GDLS Canada, though that could equally be a marketing move, and no confirmation has emerged.
Switzerland's new howitzers are intended to replace its 50-year-old M109s, of which 133 are currently in service. The incoming fleet will be smaller than the outgoing one, though further procurement rounds may be planned.
The total Swiss allocation for 32 DONAR 10x10 units plus ammunition stands at €919 million, a rough figure of over €28 million per unit, though that calculation is not meaningful given that ammunition costs are included.
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