The AS-90 is a British tracked 155 mm self-propelled howitzer built for armored, mobile indirect fire support. Its documented service includes British deployments in Iraq and UK-donated systems in Ukrainian service, while the design is distinguished by a protected tracked chassis, 48-round ammunition stowage, rapid burst fire, and a standard L31 39-calibre gun with a conventional range of about 24.7 km.
The United Kingdom supplied AS-90 self-propelled guns to Ukraine, with UK releases documenting 32 guns delivered in 2023 and further 2024 deliveries; SIPRI-derived transfer reporting uses the AS-90B Mallet 155mm label for 16 estimated 2024 deliveries, and UK reporting later described in-country repair support for donated AS-90 vehicles.
Role detailsHansard records British Army AS90 Heavy deployments on Operation Telic in Iraq in 2003 and again in 2005, placing the system with United States and coalition forces during the Iraq War; the available source documents deployment rather than detailed firing missions.
Role detailsThe AS-90 is the British 39-calibre production howitzer, while its related 52-calibre development branch appears in export and successor-family histories rather than in the standard British Army configuration. The AS-90B Mallet 155mm wording is retained as a search alias because SIPRI-derived transfer reporting uses that label for UK-to-Ukraine transfers.
| Thread | Weapon relationship | Source-backed context |
|---|---|---|
| British service gun | Baseline AS-90 | The British Army describes a tracked 155 mm system with the L31 gun, protected mobility, 48 rounds carried, and burst fire for armored artillery support. |
| Transfer database label | AS-90B Mallet 155mm | Campaign Against Arms Trade's 2024 report, summarizing SIPRI Arms Transfers Database entries, lists estimated 2024 UK-to-Ukraine deliveries under this label. |
| Braveheart and AS-90D | Same-family development paths | Forecast International separates the 52-calibre Braveheart development path and the desert-oriented AS-90D configuration from the British production standard. |
| AHS Krab | Adjacent family member | The Polish Krab is treated separately because it is a Polish self-propelled howitzer, but its early design lineage used the AS-90 Braveheart turret path. |
Sources: British Army AS90; CAAT UK Arms Exports 2024; Forecast International AS90.
AS-90 records commonly separate the British Army 39-calibre gun, export or upgrade studies, the SIPRI transfer-database label AS-90B Mallet 155mm, and the AS-90-derived Braveheart turret lineage used in the Polish Krab program.
| Variant | Configuration | Designation notes |
|---|---|---|
| AS90B | British Army production-standard configuration | Forecast International separates AS90B as the British Army production-standard configuration, distinct from the 52-calibre Braveheart development branch. Sources: Forecast International AS90 |
| AS90 Braveheart | 52-calibre development path | Forecast International describes the Braveheart development as a 52-calibre AS90 branch rather than the standard British Army 39-calibre gun. Sources: Forecast International AS90 |
| AS-90D | desert-oriented configuration | Forecast International treats AS-90D as a desert-oriented configuration separate from the British production standard. Sources: Forecast International AS90 |
 | Polish 155 mm tracked howitzer using AS-90 Braveheart turret lineage | Forecast International links the Krab program to the AS-90 Braveheart turret lineage, making it an adjacent family member rather than a British AS-90 variant. Sources: Forecast International AS90 |
The AS-90's 155 mm gun is documented firing the NATO L15 unassisted projectile and using the M107 in training.
| Ammunition | Ammunition type | Firing evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | 155 mm high-explosive projectile | WeaponSystems.net says AS-90 training use includes M107 projectiles with Green and White propelling charges. Sources: WeaponSystems.net AS90 |
 | 155 mm high-explosive shell | BAE Systems says L15 High Explosive is designed for use with a range of 155 mm guns, and FAS identifies AS-90 as firing the NATO L15 unassisted projectile. Sources: 155mm Artillery Ammunition, AS 90 155mm - Self Propelled Howitzer |
The AS-90 is documented as compatible with M982 Excalibur guided artillery projectiles.
| Compatible item | Item type | Compatibility evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | 155 mm guided artillery projectile | The British Army source lists Excalibur among AS-90 ammunition, and RTX identifies Excalibur as compatible with mobile 155 mm artillery systems. |
AS-90 production vehicles entered British Army service in the early 1990s as a tracked 155 mm replacement for older self-propelled artillery.
UK parliamentary records list AS90 Heavy deployments on Operation Telic in Iraq in 2003.
The UK government said delivery of 32 AS90 self-propelled guns to Ukraine had been completed as part of accelerated military support.
The UK announced procurement of 72 RCH 155 systems as the long-term close-support artillery replacement for AS-90 systems granted to Ukraine.
The UK government described maintenance, repair, and overhaul sites in Ukraine working on UK-gifted equipment, including all AS-90 artillery systems donated by the UK.
Open sources show the AS-90 moving through three reader-visible contexts: British Army armored artillery service, documented UK deployment to Iraq, and transfer to Ukraine. The UK RCH 155 announcement adds a fourth context by identifying the new wheeled artillery program as the long-term replacement for AS-90 systems granted to Ukraine.
Sources: Hansard Army Deployment; GOV.UK Ramstein AS90 Delivery; BFBS Forces News AS90 Training; GOV.UK Ukraine MRO Facilities; GOV.UK RCH 155 Procurement.
