| U.S. Marines demonstrated the M777 lightweight | | | | outfitted with a computer system call D.F.C.S. |
| howitzer to local officials at Fort Sill, Okla. The M777 | | | | (direction fire control system I believe it's called) |
| is a lightweight 155mm howitzer and a critical fire | | | | where we wont need sights or a collimator. It will be |
| support component of Marine Air Ground Task | | | | all digital. |
| Forces and Army Brigade Combat Teams and light | | | | The new M777 light-weight 155-mm towed howitzer |
| divisions. | | | | will begin fielding in May to the 3d Battalion, 11th |
| The M777 was designed and developed by BAE | | | | Marines at Twenty-nine Palms, California. The M777 is |
| Systems, and is a joint program between the Army | | | | replacing the aging 155-mm towed M198 howitzer. |
| and Marine Corps to replace the M198 towed | | | | Some of the M777's greatest improvements are in its |
| howitzer. The M777 incorporates the first use of | | | | mobility, trans-portability, survivability and lethality. |
| titanium castings, which reduces the weight of the | | | | The M777 can be emplaced and ready to fire in less |
| howitzer -- by 7,000 lbs. -- offering improved | | | | than two minutes, which is significantly faster than |
| transportability and mobility, while retaining the full | | | | the M198. |
| ammunition and range capability of the M198. The | | | | The new weapon can be rapidly displaced within two |
| lightweight howitzer can be transported by Marine | | | | to three minutes, allowing the battery to shoot and |
| Corps MV-22 tilt-rotor aircraft and U.S. Air Force | | | | move before the enemy can return fire. Its light |
| C-130 aircraft. | | | | weight (less than 10,000 pounds) and independent |
| The Marines, from the 3rd Battalion, 11th Marine | | | | suspension allow the weapon to travel over rougher |
| Regiment stationed at Twenty-nine Palms, California. | | | | terrain (world-wide, which amounts to about 30 |
| Will be the first unit to receive the new howitzers | | | | percent more terrain) and be sling-loaded under more |
| and the battalion's key personnel are currently training | | | | aircraft than the M198. |
| with the M777 at Fort Sill. The M777 recently | | | | It fires all current and planned 155-mm munitions. |
| completed operational testing at California in | | | | Although its max range is still 30,000 meters with |
| anticipation of a full rate production decision expected | | | | current rocket-assisted projectiles, that range will |
| next month. During the tests, nearly 12,000 artillery | | | | extend to more than 37,000 meters when firing the |
| rounds were fired by four production howitzers. The | | | | new global positioning system/inertial navigation unit |
| M777 met all operational requirements and proved to | | | | (GPS/INU) precision-guided Excalibur munition. The |
| be extremely reliable. Fielding of the new howitzer will | | | | max rate of fire is four rounds per minute while the |
| continue with the Army and Marine Corps through | | | | sustained rate is two rounds per minute. |
| 2009. | | | | Within a year of the initial M777 deliveries, both the |
| The M777 is assembled at BAE Systems' integration | | | | Marine Corps and Army will start taking delivery of |
| facility in Hattiesburg, Miss., and incorporates | | | | the M777A1, which adds a digital fire control system |
| components manufactured by a U.S. supplier base | | | | (DFCS). The DFCS provides the howitzer highly |
| that the company has been developing for the past | | | | accurate self-location and directional control. With the |
| four years. More than 70 percent of the howitzer's | | | | introduction of DFCS, the battery only requires |
| parts are manufactured in the U.S. Its one of the | | | | survey control points to initialize the system. |
| bty's from 3/11 when they 1st got the 777 about 8 | | | | The section chief will have a navigational aid inside |
| months ago. The m777 is nice. I don't know the | | | | the cab, and the weapon has an onboard |
| exact weight but it's about 9,277lbs compared to the | | | | single-channel ground and airborne radio system |
| 16,000 lbs of the 198. | | | | (SINCGARS) and amplifier for digital communications. |
| It has the same rate of fire and fires the same | | | | This provides greater flexibility for the howitzer, |
| rounds. It only takes two marines to hook it up to | | | | which no longer will be tied to wire communications. |
| the 7-ton. It has hydraulically powered loading tray | | | | The M777 A1 provides commanders greater flexibility |
| and breech. It's a lot easier to speed shift. There's a | | | | in getting to the fight, carrying out their missions and |
| lot less wear and tear on the marines with it being | | | | quickly moving to safe locations to carry out |
| light weight and all. Around next year this time it'll be | | | | subsequent missions. |