INVESTMENT COMPONENT
Modernization
Recapitalization
Maintenance
Provides direct, reinforcing, and general artillery fire support to maneuver forces.
The Lightweight 155mm Howitzer (M777A2) will replace all M198 155mm Howitzers in operation with the Army and Marine Corps. The extensive use of titanium in all its major structures makes it 7,000 pounds lighter than its predecessor, the M198, with no sacrifice in range, stability, accuracy, or durability, and it can be dropped by parachute. The M777A2’s independent suspension, smaller footprint, and lower profile increase strategic deployability and tactical mobility. The system uses numerous improvements to enhance reliability and accuracy, and significantly increase system survivability. The M777A2 is Jointly managed; the Marine Corps led the development of the Howitzer and the Army led the development of Towed Artillery Digitization, the digital fire control system for the M777A2.
Software upgrades incorporating the Enhanced Portable Inductive Artillery Fuze Setter and the Excalibur Platform Integration Kit hardware give the M777A2 the capability to program and fire the Excalibur precision-guided munition.
Specifications for the M777A2 Excalibur-compatible howitzer are:
Weight: 10,000 pounds
Emplace: Less than three minutes
Displace: Two to three minutes
Maximum range: 30 kilometers (rocket assisted round)
Rate-of-fire: Four rounds per minute maximum; two rounds per minute sustained
Ground mobility: Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles, Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement, five-ton trucks
Air mobility: CH-53D/E; CH-47D; MV-22; two per C-130; six per C-17; 12 per C-5
155mm compatibility: All fielded and developmental NATO munitions
Digital and optical fire control: Self-locating and pointing; digital and voice communications; self-contained power supply
In this Publication
None
Other Major Interdependencies
Army Software Blocking, Defense Advanced Global Positioning System Receiver
ACQUISITION PHASE
Technology Development
Engineering & Manufacturing Development
Production & Deployment
Operations & Support
Australia and Canada
Prime:
BAE Systems (Hattiesburg, MS)
Barrow-in-Furness (United Kingdom)
Cannon Assembly (GFE):
Watervliet Arsenal (Watervliet, NY)
Titanium Castings:
Precision CastParts Corp. (Portland, OR)
Body:
Triumph Structures (Chatsworth, CA)
Castings:
Howmet Castings (Whitehall, Ml)
Optical Fire Control (GFE):
Seiler Instruments (St. Louis, MO)
Digital Fire Control:
General Dynamics Canada (Ottawa, Canada)
