Italy’s Leonardo is stepping up the artillery game with its new RH1-155/52 HITFIRE, a weapon designed for longer reach, faster movement, and sharper precision in modern conflict.
At its core, the weapon pairs a next-generation 155mm/52-caliber gun with a turret weighing under 13 tonnes (28,660 pounds).
It carries 30 shells and propellant charges, firing them through a NATO-standard barrel engineered for stable, accurate shots at extended ranges.
Leonardo built the system for reach and tempo: up to 42 kilometers (26 miles) with base-bleed rounds and 70 kilometers (42.5 miles) with Vulcano munitions.
Protection comes standard with modular composite armor, laser warning receivers, smoke grenade launchers, and a HITROLE remote weapon station for counter-drone defense.
A 10-round-per-minute firing rate is targeted for an upcoming version, with the ability to support five to six rounds in multi-round simultaneous impact missions.
The company recently showcased the system at the Nettuno firing range, highlighting a focus on automation, reliability, and low crew workload.
Filling the Gap
Development of the HITFIRE comes as Italy looks for a wheeled 155mm artillery system to bolster the firepower and flexibility of its medium brigades.
Leonardo positions its new weapon as a high-mobility, long-range solution tailored to that need.
The system is slated for installation on 8×8 armored vehicles, with engineers already looking into balance, mobility, and performance ahead of trials.
Full operational readiness is expected by late 2026 or early 2027.
