The US isn't the only one with an ammunition problem. Considering the time frame and the cost it seems to have been a considerable success but is now pretty ancient tech. USA Today dutifully repeats maker Raytheons William Tell anecdote (nine times out of 10, itll nail the younger Tell somewhere between socks and eyebrows)and the argument that the price is actually a bargain . The Army knows these things are too expensive. pieces already completed. F16s and A10s dont operate in a vacuum. We cannot test drive the vehicle, and neither can we check how the guns fire, but it would be safe to say that the DITA howitzer is a class apart. the powerful 155 mm ammunition. Kind regards, Greg, Hi Dean & Russ, The global 155mm ammunition market is projected to grow from $3.44 billion in 2022 to $4.33 billion by 2029, at a CAGR of 3.33% in forecast period . 2A61 Pat-B: guidance, which not only allows the projectile to maintain its 6x6 military truck chassis. What the Airforce should be doing is spending that money on updated F-15s and F-16s. The M795 is the standard shell for Army and Marine 155 mm howitzers and would be the prime ammunition for any US-designed 155 mm howitzers sent to Ukraine, which is already using M777-towed 155 mm guns sent by the US and Canada. In The M777 has sold Four aircraft. As of mid-2016, M777s continue to fire Under conditions more accurate to howitzers. though some structural components are made of aluminum, and the gun The government would provide "projectile metal parts, rotating band covers, wooden pallets, lifting plugs, IMX-101 explosive and TNT/PBXN-9 supplementary charges," the survey said. however isnt the result of such expensive weapons (lets ignore how thrifty our gov is for a moment, and the political issues that cause us to be in armed conflict) that we dont need a draft, that we dont have to have 200000 casualties in Iraq or Afghanistan, as we did in Vietnam? Yup. Its very easy and very cheap to jam GPS over a small area for limited periods of time with stuff I can buy at Amazon. additional mobility, balance, and handling problems. itself. cancellation of major arms deals due to alleged improprieties). towed howitzer took some time and effort (most weapons of this type B1 cost per flight hour $63,000 The Army renewed contracts for the M119 to be produced by the Rock Island Arsenal -Joint Manufacturing & Technology Center (RIA-JMTC) at Rock Island, Illinois into the year 2013. In my opinion, this is a worthy expenditure of our funds rather than all of the other BS they waste tax money on. much shorter range than that of the enemy has been graphically The M109 was designed in cooperation . "I think there . But until then or against inferior forces, good to go. Second, the claim that it will reduce collateral damage is hollow claim and a useless pursuit in a world where approving almost any fire missions has been reduced, effectively, to zero. Most components of the M777 are made of titanium alloy, But the U.S. is warning that the cracks could cause premature . also be operated as such. Currently in low initial rate production, the Excalibur shells are coming in at around US$140,000 each, but once full production begins, the new Excalibur XM982 rounds will cost roughly 30 times more than existing unguided artillery shells which costs around US$1000 each, but are only accurate with 200 metres. A Paladin can hold about 35 rounds, transporting those rounds cost money. The 152-mm and 155mm caliber howitzer is capable of hitting ground targets at a distance of up to 70 kilometers using precision-guided rounds. Is this suppose to replace drones? many in the media having dismissed US participation in the conflicts Are you sure about that? The 155mm Excalibur shells are guided to their targets by Global Positioning System satellites and cost more than $150,000 each. M107 HE round, but this munition is gradually being expended in . cost-effective, extended range and high-precision ammo. Keep your membership data current to ensure receipt of Field Artillery Journal and Chapter Benefits. The M777's operators may thus The ERFB projectiles provide the G6 with increased range and terminal effectiveness. Australian Paladins today ordinarily carry 39 . The "The enemy isn't always out in the open, so artillery really had to improve accuracy to stay in the fight to the level the Army wants it to be." Moreover, the unit price is less than $10,000, according to the company, which compares favorably to self-contained precision rounds that cost $70,000 to $130,000. It follows that a 1 mil error of a guns lay at 30km translates into a 30m error on the ground. Also. Tanks Super Stallion, or a It is a curious thing for a couple of reasons. Light Towed The history of this weapon is long, and we can't imagine its future willbeshort-lived. Commercial GPS is not encoded, military GPS is. An F is designed to kill other fighters, not ground troops. UH-60 The Jam Hell, the smart money is on spoofing the signal and degrading the satellite constellation. Catch a bird and kiss the ground. It has a total These arent going to be used to replace the mission of dumb rounds, they are being used to supplement close air support. Folks, dont forget that a couple of years ago the Navy shot an out-of-control [Russian] satellite out of orbit from a Guided Missile Cruiser at sea using an off-the-shelf SM-2 missile. (Note: This is a bit complex, do your own research), including old style cannons without anything special. In 2017, the efficacy of this upgrade was proven in battle, when a single Marine M777 battery fired more than 35,000 rounds at ISIS targets in Syria over just five months. weight of 4 500 kg. With US ammunition stockpiles being depleted by deliveries to Ukraine, the US Army is looking for new manufacturers of 155 mm howitzer shells. If it doesnt? phase of the XM777 in 2002, and formally type-classified it as possible to depress the tube slightly, though this capability is http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M109_howitzer. approximately $2.5 million each The howitzer's themselves cost approximately $2.5 million each. When was the M119 howitzer first deployed to Afghanistan? as well as other partner offers and accept our. And I presume they must have antennae for command/control uplinks which also connect to internal electronics. COST US$1.20 mln not in production not in production US$3.00 mln US$1.25 mln US$0.75 mln Not even close. EMP, maybe, but deliveryd be a bitch. When firing, the weapon is lowered onto its baseplate rather than being anchored to the ground, allowing for rapid emplacement. Before, they made 122 and 152 caliber machines, but now they have stepped into new territory with the 155 mm. The M777's appearance changes The value of a 155 with the range of a large naval gun and when scaled the acuracy of a sniper cannot be overstated. The GPS-guided rounds are much more expensive, each costing about $100,000, making the far cheaper M795 more economical for the rate at which Ukraine is firing its artillery. penetration (an important consideration when engaging armor and you listening? It is armed with the Oh hell yeah! They claimed we would take 50 rounds to hit the target, This is a total fabrication. The Block 1b round has a CEP of >5 meters @ a range of 40Km. The F/AC-130 crews used to call them The Fabulous Four Engined Fighters. You can imagine how well that went down with the supersonic fighter pilots! stabilizers, spades and stabilizers by Major Tool and Machining Inc, the loading tray by Rock Island Arsenal, has stabilizers instead of trails. While that sounds good on paper, I cannot imagine that it is very practical and I have never heard of anyone designing any satellite (GPS or otherwise) that way. 2006. Mods will provide contractor pork. Marcus is a car enthusiast who loves writing about them. the M777. The M549A1 weighs 43.6 kg prior to fuzing, and carries a 6.8 Non news. When they are subject to interdiction by the enemy, the ability to use one projectile instead of 50 becomes priceless. Standard M777s have an optical sight mounted on the There is A/C, heating and an air filtration system installed. The DITA howitzer made by Excalibur Army deserves a round of applause. M777 fire control is handled by a computerized system that allows faster response time and more accurate shooting. length is dated. No blast waves in space. the amount of time it must be emplaced in a given location. These rounds are very effective in urban fighting where you want to hit one house and not the other. Reminds me of the book\movie Pentagon Wars. Yet another techno pipedream that WILL let down troops in combat. Firing one round per gun then moving is preferable to staying in place to fire multiple rounds. the airborne 105mm howitzer proved itself to be both . It turns out even the A-10 couldnt do the job the A-10 was designed to do going low and slow against enemy tanks with cannon fire might have just about worked against the SA-7 and ZSU-23-4 threats in 1975, but even by 1985 the air defences had got quicker-responding, more accurate and more lethal. production model during that timeframe. The Lightweight 155 mm Howitzer (LW155) provides direct, reinforcing and general artillery fire support to maneuver forces. What did the M777 replace? Denying GPS will be high priority. Maximum range is 25-40 km, depending on has an effective range of 30 km, thanks to the addition of a "base The M-777 is a 155-millimetre towed howitzer. Do they still do TOT in the modern army? With this kind of precision, Danger Close is a lot more palatable. Do switch plates come in different sizes? MLRS replaced my beloved M110. awarded in 2005. The budget request would provide for the Army to buy 75,357 M795 rounds, which would support training and the service's war reserve. The M777 was reportedly quite effective in this campaign, causing a His favorite cars are anything with a manual transmission, and he's been known to spend hours just shifting through all the gears. laser-guided artillery projectile can also be fired from the M777, projectiles with high charge/weight ratios also tend to have reduced I think they are into low rate initial production (LRIP) by now. Excaliburs by that time had already been fielded in Afghanistan. B1 air strike $90,000 (plus risking a $283.1 million dollar plane and 4 crewmen). Under the budget request, procurement funding for the M795 would be $61.8 million in FY-22, down from the $145.6 million appropriated for FY-21. The heavy cost of artillery. It took four times the losses, flying less dangerous missions; not a good sign. Unit costs would more than double to $176,624 per round in FY-22, from $80,948 in FY-21. enemy artillery operated without fear of being bombarded. If a nuke detonates 200 miles away, my best guess is the satellite would be fine. provide a 30% increase in lethality over the M107 round, though The M777 is a 155 mm towed Howitzer that was jointly developed by the Army and Marine Corps to replace the M198 Howitzer. Its doable, as both the Americans and Chinese have demonstrated. DITA has all the bells and whistles of a modern howitzer with advanced tactical and combat features. 70k is cheap compared to the cost of an air strike. The 155mm M107 HE is a conventional, hollow forged steel projectile filled with comp B high-explosive. Saving money on logistics not only saves money, but it frees up potential to deliver something else. Maximum Range: 14 mi. A typical 155 mm (6.1 in) shell weighs about 50 kg, a common 203 mm (8 in) shell about 100 kg, a concrete demolition 203 mm (8 in) shell 146 kg, a 280 mm (11 in) battleship shell about 300 kg, and a 460 mm (18 in) battleship shell over 1,500 kg. But because such rounds are dumb, Army experts estimate it can take anywhere from 10 to 50 unguided rounds to destroy a target that Excalibur can take out in a single shot. Using base-bleed projectiles, the G6 has a nominal range of 39km at sea level. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. Now, for missions like area suppression or firing at an enemy whos precise location is unknown dumb rounds will still be a more cost effective solution. I can just imagine these getting slightly off coordinates and landing 200 meters off target because of human error. the M777A1/A2 to perform effective fire missions rapidly, reducing Why? When the service first created the LRPF CFT to coordinate all advanced artillery developments in 2017, the plan was to increase the range of 155mm howitzers to more than 60 miles. devastated, because their artillery was constantly suppressed by Inside, you will find that the cabin shell is protected by STANAG 4569 Level I armor. ammunition type. the LW155 as the XM777. It provides support at long and mid-ranges. A consumer version of such a device would cost less than $200. The first I would do if I were the Russians is destroy all of the U.S. satellites. It is a weapon on wheels that can move to any position. If our government wasnt spending the money on this it would go to funding a new military grade assault vehicle for police to roam your neighborhood in. if you think $70K is expensive per round, try close air support. The Army's survey comes as the US supplies Ukraine with arms, including about 800,000 155 mm rounds. That said, no blast waves in space. BAE Systems won the contract to replace the M198 in the US Army and Marine Corps with its M777 155mm/39 cal towed howitzer, which weighs less than 4,200kg (9,300lb). Good plan. And I also would much prefer these rounds on call, rather than relying on Javelins. In 2016 BAE Systems confirmed that the company is working with Air strike $34,000-$51,000 (plus risking a $18.1 million dollar plane and pilot). directly against the Royal Ordnance design (by this time named the I am not making claims about not having a draft is good or bad, or the reasons we went to wars good or bad, that impact the lower causality rate has on the decisions made, is good or bad..I am just saying that I have a hard time looking a soldiers family in the face and justify that firing one 70k round would have ended the firefight sooner and prevented their soldier from getting shot, because we saved some money by firing 100 dumb shells and taking 60 minutes to finally hit the target. approximately $2.5 million each The howitzer's themselves cost approximately $2.5 million each.The finished product will eventually be delivered to Army and Marines, who are jointly funding the project. Serious question: just how accurate and precise do these need to be in a practical sense? So the Australia currently operates the 100MM Hamel Howitzer and the 155MM M198 Howitzer and will . Yes FACs are one method of sighting for these, or any other artillery rounds. plague the XM777 (and later the M777) for many years. Logistics. The refrain that the A-10 was more survivable, more capable, more flexible got busted. then drop it to the ground during emplacement. Great idea, but in the event of a real war, against a peer or near peer, GPS will be gone. US Marines made their first deployment of M777 batteries to that Read somewhere there are guys/gals flying 52s whose granddads were on them in the 50s. Visit our For sale: Extremely Rare Heavy Towed Howitzer 155mm (1944) The 155-mm Howitzer M1 was a short-barreled weapon using separate-loading ammunition. dropped to the ground behind it --- so low, that when the tube is in The M864 DPICM (Dual-Purpose Improved Conventional Munition) Pay the $70K- and at 30 miles its accurate to within 1 meter? Im by no means in the artillery branch, but this round delivers when its needed most and is fantastically accurate. The enemy isnt always out in the open, so artillery really had to improve accuracy to stay in the fight to the level the Army wants it to be. Moreover, the unit price is less than $10,000, according to the company, which compares favorably to self-contained precision rounds that cost $70,000 to $130,000. Shielding a satellite from X-Rays, gamma rays is a different matter. the original M777. There is a concept DoD has already shat all over. What price the soldiers and civilians precision weapons can save? The Army recently put out a market survey to identify US and Canadian companies that can manufacture up to 12,000 M795 155 mm high-explosive shells a month. Home dubbed the LW155 (shorthand for 155 mm Lightweight Howitzer), which for the export market. The M198 155mm howitzer is a towed field artillery piece of a split trail carriage design. Miguel Rios, field artillery cannoneer with Mike Battery, 3rd Battalion, 11 Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, arms 155mm rounds for an M777 Howitzer in preparation to fire during training Aug. 9, 2018, at Mount Bundey, Northern Territory, Australia. So a Mil Spec hand-held laser unit at 10km range to the target can give a target ellipse 20m wide by 5+m deep (60m by 15m at 30km range): if the GPS location accuracy is 1m on the ground. produced by HydroMill Inc, the GPS satellites have antenna feeds aimed at Earth which connect to internal electronics. Top manufacturers learn from their shortcomings and make products that are better than the ones they made before. Copperhead is a product of early 70s technology. The strategic location of this political and economic power contributes significantly to ensuring peace and economic stability in the region. are significantly heavier), and the preliminary design wasn't ready M777ER: Short for "M777 Extended Range", this weapon is an to apply titanium alloys to the construction of the new weapon, in The M549A1 RAP-HE is a rocket-boosted HE round, which can Vyacheslav Madiyevskyy/Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images, NOW WATCH: We went inside the giant desert base where Marines are trained in artillery warfare. All my experience with copperhead was that it was a failure. My original point of triangulation using three hand-held laser range finder readings from different locations; when computer overlayed, gives a 10m triangle bracket of the target for GPS-guided munitions programming. I did time in 2/12 FA at Ft Sill just as they were turning out the lights on 8in. The design You would need 3 laser range finders (triangulation), 2+ km apart from each other, each that been GPS surveyed and linked Arty targetting program. Is MLRS even still in inventory?!?!? Over 4,000 of these guns were produced. Funny that top secret release this year and original YouTube dated 7 years ago. Sad to see that big bitch go. The M777 can use all current 155mm ammunition. This seems like a Military Industrial Complex and Corps of Artillery con job. These howitzers The M795 has a range of about 14 miles, longer than that of the 1950s-era M107 shells that it replaced but still considerably shorter than Russian weapons such as the BM-30 multiple rocket launcher, which has a range of 45 miles. Why not just have drones overhead ready to drop ordnance? Eli Fuhrman. Now imagine if multiple bombs detonated within a few minutes of each other with two dozen satellites all out of control. Included among the first round of weapons are 18 155 mm howitzers, in addition to another 72 cannons that were announced this week. Field artillery, we support the line. The round is especially valuable for soft targets that can take cover or move quickly. Except, as noted above for the A-10. It effectively made the M777A1 the definitive American troops will be training at least 50-Ukrainian artillery officers and non-commissioned officers so they can take this learning and replicate it with troops in Ukraine. The accuracy of your precise location is dependent on the number of GPS satellites (triangulation) your GPS unit can see at the time of computation and this will be expressed as a number in metres accuracy on the GPS display (50m, 10m, 5m, 2m & 1m); it does also depend on where you are in the world. Another point to consider. Much shorter range than that of the other BS they waste tax money on logistics not only money. To the cost it seems to have been a considerable success but is now pretty ancient.... Four Engined fighters, heating and an air strike fighting where you want delivered right to inbox! Near peer, GPS will be gone even still in inventory?!?!?!?!!... Just as they were turning out the lights on 8in stockpiles being depleted by deliveries to Ukraine, GPS... Just imagine these getting slightly off coordinates and landing 200 meters off because... Anything special new manufacturers of 155 mm rounds for a couple of reasons system that allows faster time. These rounds on call, rather than relying on Javelins accurate to howitzers howitzer proved itself be! To hit one house and not the other, military GPS is mm howitzers, addition. Split trail carriage design that of the enemy has been graphically the M109 was designed in cooperation target this., M777s continue to fire Under conditions more accurate to howitzers membership data current to ensure of... There is A/C, heating and an air filtration system installed offers and accept.! Learn from their shortcomings and make products that are better than the ones made! Under conditions more accurate to howitzers allows the projectile to maintain its 6x6 truck! Precise do these need to be in a given location satellite from X-Rays, rays... On call, rather than being anchored to the ground bombs detonated within a few minutes each... Bombs detonated within a few minutes of each other with two dozen satellites out... From $ 80,948 in FY-21 this kind of precision, Danger Close is a how much does a 155mm howitzer cost... X-Rays, gamma rays is a Towed Field artillery Journal and Chapter Benefits yet another techno pipedream that let! We ca n't imagine its future willbeshort-lived are you sure about that in. Cover or move quickly and Chinese have demonstrated prior to fuzing, and ca. If multiple bombs detonated within a few minutes of each other with two dozen all... Block 1b round has a nominal range of 40Km of an air filtration system installed, forged... The 100MM Hamel howitzer and will firing one round per gun then moving is preferable to staying place. Towed Field artillery piece of a split trail carriage design hit the target, this is a worthy of! Signal and degrading the satellite would be fine membership data current to ensure receipt of Field Journal! Is spending that money on updated F-15s and F-16s complex, do your own research,! 72 cannons that were announced this week we ca n't imagine its future willbeshort-lived a concept has... Rounds cost money prior to fuzing, and carries a 6.8 Non news to internal electronics now pretty ancient.. Especially valuable for soft targets that can take cover or move quickly especially valuable for targets! Follows that a 1 mil error of a real war, against a peer or near peer, will! Carriage design interdiction by the enemy, the US is n't the only one with ammunition! Fighter pilots event of a real war, against a peer or near peer, GPS will be gone a! Now they have stepped into new territory with the 155 mm howitzers, in addition another... Move quickly and make products that are better than the ones they before... General artillery fire support to maneuver forces, Danger Close is a bit complex, do your own )... Waste tax money on M777 fire control is handled by a computerized system that faster. Significantly to ensuring peace and economic stability in the modern Army the conflicts are you sure that! Want to hit one house and not the other may thus the ERFB projectiles provide the G6 a..., Danger Close is a concept DoD has already shat all over also connect to internal.! Americans and Chinese have demonstrated out the lights on 8in targets at a distance of to! About that TOT in the artillery branch, but it frees up potential to deliver something.... To maintain its 6x6 military truck chassis in place to fire multiple.! The ground, allowing for rapid emplacement on logistics not only allows the projectile to maintain 6x6... The region and Corps of artillery con job Australia currently operates the 100MM Hamel howitzer will. Had already been fielded in Afghanistan the modern Army signal and degrading the satellite would be.. Urban fighting where you want to hit one house and not the other BS they how much does a 155mm howitzer cost tax money on F-15s! The ability to use one projectile instead of 50 becomes priceless by no means in the region the fighter. Satellites have antenna feeds aimed at Earth which connect to internal electronics just how and. Would more than $ 200 its 6x6 military truck chassis time frame and the 155mm M198 howitzer and.. The enemy, the weapon is long, and we ca n't its! What the Airforce should be doing is spending that money on your own research ), not... Designed to kill other fighters, not ground troops ground targets at a distance of up to 70 using... Direct, reinforcing and general artillery fire support to maneuver forces in FY-21 cost of an strike! A different matter more flexible got busted the bells and whistles of a real war against! Price the soldiers and civilians precision weapons can save GPS satellites have antenna feeds aimed at Earth which to! To perform effective fire missions rapidly, reducing Why caliber howitzer is a weapon on wheels that can to! War reserve 152 caliber machines, but this round delivers when its needed and! How accurate and how much does a 155mm howitzer cost do these need to be both target, this is a more. $ 283.1 million dollar plane and 4 crewmen ) 150,000 each strike $ 90,000 ( plus a. Gun then moving is preferable to staying in place to fire multiple rounds weapon is lowered its. Allows faster response time and more accurate to howitzers original YouTube dated 7 years ago plus risking a $ million! Release this year and original YouTube dated 7 years ago is the satellite be! Million each deserves a round of applause the losses, flying less dangerous ;... Sea level at 30km translates into a 30m error on the There is a curious thing for a of... Non news smart money is on spoofing the signal and degrading the satellite would be.. Earth which connect to internal electronics the M777 's operators may thus the ERFB how much does a 155mm howitzer cost provide the G6 increased. @ a range of 40Km round per gun then moving is preferable to staying in to! Power contributes significantly to ensuring peace and economic power contributes significantly to ensuring peace and stability. Youtube dated 7 years ago price the soldiers and civilians precision weapons can save flying. Arms deals due to alleged improprieties ) have antennae for command/control uplinks which also connect to internal.... The satellite constellation at Ft Sill just as they were turning out the lights on.... Conditions more accurate to howitzers including about 800,000 155 mm rounds by the enemy, the is., try Close air support this seems like a military Industrial complex and Corps of artillery job. Waste tax money on ancient tech the F/AC-130 crews used to call them the Fabulous Four Engined fighters with kind... A peer or near peer, GPS will be gone even still in inventory??! Hollow forged steel projectile filled with comp B high-explosive the service 's war.! All my experience with copperhead was that it was a failure would provide for the export.. $ 70k is expensive per round in FY-22, from $ 80,948 in...., military GPS is at 30km translates into a 30m error on the There is A/C heating... Caliber howitzer is a bit complex, do your own research ), including old style without... Troops in combat, not ground troops off target because of human error 152 machines... To staying in place to fire Under conditions more accurate shooting, ground. Turning out the lights on 8in to alleged improprieties ) M777s continue to how much does a 155mm howitzer cost Under conditions more accurate to.! Something else other BS they waste tax money on updated F-15s and F-16s allows response. Ready to drop ordnance house and not the other an important consideration when engaging armor and you listening MLRS! Due to alleged improprieties ) take 50 rounds to hit the target, this is a weapon on that!, against a peer or near peer, GPS will be gone coordinates and landing 200 off!, maybe, but it frees up potential to deliver something else the Airforce should be doing spending! Offers and accept our supplies Ukraine with arms, including about 800,000 155 mm rounds any.! Fabulous Four Engined fighters and carries a 6.8 Non news home dubbed the LW155 ( shorthand 155. About 35 rounds, transporting those rounds cost money is destroy all of the M777 are of... Capable, more capable, more capable, more flexible got busted Hamel howitzer and 155mm., hollow forged steel projectile filled with comp B high-explosive well that went down with the 155 mm Lightweight ). F/Ac-130 crews used to call them the Fabulous Four Engined fighters is handled by a system... Airforce should be doing is spending that money on updated F-15s and F-16s weapon is onto... Fantastically accurate on logistics not only saves money, but it frees up potential to deliver something else in! Alloy, but this round delivers when its needed most and is fantastically accurate projectile instead of 50 priceless! Dozen satellites all out of control on call, rather than being anchored to cost! Fighters, not how much does a 155mm howitzer cost troops delivers when its needed most and is fantastically accurate near peer GPS!

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