Australia to Buy M777 Towed Howitzer ; SP Gun to Follow in 2010

M-777 155mm howitzer (photo : Jonathan Mallard)

Defence Firepower to Receive Major Boost

The Minister for Defence, Senator John Faulkner, today announced that the Government has given Second Pass Approval for a $493 million project to provide the next generation artillery system for the Australian Army.

Senator Faulkner said the first phase of Land 17 (the Artillery Replacement Project) will provide the Army with four batteries of 35 M777A2 155mm Lightweight Towed Howitzers.

“The Lightweight Towed Howitzer is the most advanced towed artillery system available in the world. It is air-portable under CH-47 Chinook helicopters and can provide a weight of fire not previously available to rapidly deployed forces,” Senator Faulkner said.

“The second phase of the artillery enhancement will include the procurement of a self propelled artillery system, which will be capable of providing fire support to highly mobile mechanised forces.

The artillery system will be further enhanced through the future acquisition of a digital terminal control system for the tactical control of artillery, naval and close air support fires by forward observers and joint terminal attack controllers. This element of the project will be considered by Government in the second half of 2010,” said Senator Faulkner.

Senator Faulkner said these are high priority acquisitions which will provide improved protection and precision firepower to Australian soldiers, allowing missions to be carried out more efficiently, safely and effectively.

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Philippine Army Looking For 155mm Howitzer

Philippine Army with 105mm howitzer (photo : sulekha)

DND Shopping Around for Heavy Weapons, Trucks

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of National Defense (DND) is in the market for heavy guns as well as military trucks for the Philippine Army (PA) in line with its ongoing efforts to modernize the military.

While there was no mention of the exact amount allotted for the procurement, Defense Undersecretary Antonio Romero said they are looking forward to the purchase of 155mm howitzers for the Army.

At present, the Army is heavily dependent on 105mm howitzers, which only have a maximum range of less than 12 kilometers (air distance), for its counterterrorism, counterinsurgency and anti-lawlessness campaign, especially in Mindanao.

The 155 mm howitzers, which have a range of 15 kilometers (air distance), will boost the Army’s reach into enemy lines, considering that most areas of conflict in the country are confined to rugged terrain.

Also being programmed for acquisition by the defense department are M35 military transport trucks to facilitate the mobility of Army troops on the ground.
But Romero admitted that in so far as the Army’s armor needs is concerned, it is unlikely that the department will program the purchase of heavy tanks since this fighting vehicle is designed to do combat in deserts and plains.

“Also, the country’s road networks and bridges have been designed for light and medium military tanks. If we purchase 60-ton heavy tanks our roads and bridges will be damaged because they are designed for 20-ton vehicles,” Romero said.
The defense department has already sealed a P2.8-billion deal with Poland for the acquisition of eight brand-new combat utility helicopters for the Philippine Air Force (PAF).

Delivery of the four units is expected to happen within a year.

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Australia to Procure 35 M-BAE Systems M777 Howitzer Programme Exceeds £1bn Sales19 Jul 2010 | Ref. 152/2010 777 Howitzer

M-777 lighweight howitzer (photo : libnot)

BAE Systems M777 Howitzer Programme Exceeds £1bn Sales

Farnborough, UK - BAE Systems has received an order for 93 additional M777 howitzers, taking the order book to 955 systems and taking sales for the programme to over £1bn.

The US is buying 58 guns for the US Army and U.S. Marine Corps while Australia is acquiring 35 through the US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. The order makes Australia the third customer for the M777 system after the U.S. and Canada.

Mike Smith, managing director for BAE Systems’ European Weapons business, commented on the gun acquisition contract: “The purchase of additional howitzers is further endorsement of M777 as the most effective howitzer system of its kind. Its proven combat effectiveness means we expect more orders through 2011 as we continue to promote the system globally.

“The U.S. government is currently discussing the provision of 145 systems to India as well as several other countries. In parallel, BAE Systems is responding to requests for information from a large number of countries wishing to expand their indirect fire capability.”

BAE System’ facility at Hattiesburg, Mississippi, is responsible for final integration and test of the weapon system. The prime contract management of the M777 program and manufacture and assembly of the complex titanium structures and associated recoil components are undertaken at Barrow-in-Furness in the United Kingdom.

The M777 continues to provide artillery support to coalition forces in Afghanistan where its performance exceeds expectations. The gun can fire the “smart” Excalibur round, co-developed by BAE Systems, up to 40 km (25m) accurately enough to target a specific room within a building, reducing the chance of innocent casualties and allowing supporting fire to be brought down much closer to friendly troops.

BAE Systems has also recently agreed to provide an $18m (£12m) support package for M777 directly with Canada, which is procuring 37 guns via FMS. The contract covers the supply of spares and engineering support.

Weighing in at less than 4200kg, the revolutionary M777 is the world’s first artillery weapon to make widespread use of titanium and aluminium alloys, resulting in a howitzer which is half the weight of conventional 155mm systems.

This allows it to be deployed by medium-lift helicopter quickly and beyond the reach of roadside bombs to otherwise inaccessible areas, extending its reach over the theatre of operations.

The M777 effort is managed by the US Army/Marines Light Weight 155mm Joint Program Office at Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey.

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