M777 howitzer


The M777 howitzer is a British towed 155 mm artillery piece in the howitzer class. It is used by the ground forces of Australia, Canada, Colombia, India, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, and the United States. It was first used in combat during the War in Afghanistan.
The M777 is manufactured by BAE Systems' Global Combat Systems division. Prime contract management is based in Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria, England, as well as manufacture and assembly of the titanium structures and associated recoil components. Final integration and testing of the weapon is undertaken at BAE's facility in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, US. Depending on the year, contract and systems package, the M777 has been exported with individual unit costs from US$2.025 million to $3.738 million.

Design

The M777 began in 1987 as the Ultralight Field Howitzer, developed by Vickers' Armaments Division in Barrow-in-Furness, UK. Upon taking over responsibility for the weapon, BAE "Americanized" to a large degree the construction and assembly through its US-based BAE Systems Land and Armaments group. The M777 now uses about 70% US-built parts, including the gun barrel, which is manufactured at the Watervliet Arsenal, New York, US.
BAE US subcontractors and their related components/activity as planned in 2001:
With a weight of, the M777 is 41% lighter than the M198 howitzer it replaces. Much of the weight reduction is due to the extensive use of titanium. The gun barrel serves as the towing bar, with the connecting ring forged as a projection of the muzzle brake. The M777 can be transported by helicopter sling-load, transport aircraft such as the Lockheed C-130 Hercules or C-5 Galaxy, or towed by air-braked vehicles with a 2½-ton or greater payload capacity, such as the FMTV and MTVR medium tactical vehicles. The minimum gun crew required is five, compared to a previous nine. The normal crew is eight. With a minimal emergency crew, the rate of fire is decreased. It can be fired by a crew of only three if absolutely necessary.
The M777A1 and M777A2 use a digital fire-control system similar to that found on self-propelled howitzers such as the M109A6 Paladin to provide navigation, pointing and self-location, allowing it to be put into action quickly.
The Canadian M777 in conjunction with the traditional "glass and iron sights/mounts" uses a digital fire control system called the Digital Gun Management System produced by Leonardo MW with components of the Indirect Fire Control Software Suite built by the Firepower team in the Canadian Army Land Software Engineering Centre. The Leonardo MW portion of the system, known as LINAPS, had been proven previously through earlier use on the British Army 105 mm L118 Light Gun.
The M777A2 may be combined with the M982 Excalibur 155 mm GPS-guided munition, which allows accurate fire at a range of up to. This almost doubles the area covered by a single battery to about. Testing at the Yuma Proving Ground by the US Army placed 13 of 14 Excalibur rounds, fired from up to, within of their target, suggesting a circular error probable of.
In June 2012, Golf Battery, 2nd Battalion, 11th Marines, out of Camp Pendleton, California, successfully fired the M982 Excalibur against insurgents at a range of in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. This was the longest operational shot in the history of the M777 howitzer, and the longest operational barrel artillery shot in history for the Marine Corps.
Like other modern artillery systems, the M777 can fire up to 2,500 shells before its barrel must be replaced.
In November 2024, BAE announced the opening of a new artillery factory in Sheffield during 2025 to resume production of complete M777 artillery pieces for Ukraine, and to help fulfil orders for fresh titanium cast spare parts from the US, supplementing its US parts factory which also resumed production during 2024. 8 countries have previously expressed interest in fresh unit orders.
M777A2M198
Weight
Emplacement time2 min 10 s6 min 35 s
Displacement time2 min 23 s10 min 40 s
Terrain trafficable83%63%
Number carried per C-130 load21
Crew complement59

Variants

  • M777A2 – Block 1A software upgrade. Addition of an Enhanced Portable Inductive Artillery Fuze Setter to enable Excalibur and precision munition compatibility.
  • M777ER – Upgrade created by the Extended Range Cannon Artillery project to extend range from. Modified with a longer 55-caliber, barrel and supercharged propellant firing the XM1113 rocket-assisted projectile. The ERCA was determined to not be viable.
  • M777C1 – M777 with DGMS

    Ammunition

  • XM1113
  • Bofors/Nexter Bonus -- 155 mm guided artillery cluster round

    Service history

Australia

In 2008, the Australian Defence Force made a US Foreign Military Sales request for 57 M777A2s estimated to be worth up to US$248m. Subsequently, 35 guns were purchased for the Australian Army to re-equip the 1st Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery, the 4th Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery, and the 8th/12th Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery, to replace 155 mm M198s and 105 mm L119 Light Guns. The first deliveries of M777A2 began in late 2010.
An additional 19 guns will be bought directly from American production lines to enable a total of six batteries. Concurrently, the Australian Army has acquired guided 155 mm munitions in the form of the M982 Excalibur and XM1156 Precision Guidance Kit. In late April 2022, Australia announced that they would donate six of their M777 howitzers, with ammunition, to aid in the defence of Ukraine during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Brazil

In 2010, the Brazilian Navy evaluated the 155 mm M777 as a candidate to replace the six 155 mm M114A1 howitzers of the Marine Corps. the M777 was still under consideration.

Canada

In December 2005, 1st Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery, conducted an inaugural firing of its first 155 mm M777 towed howitzers, for a total of six guns. The six guns delivered were supplied by the United States Marine Corps under a Foreign Military Sales contract between the U.S. and Canada. The Canadian guns were first fired by A Battery, 1 RCHA, at CFB Shilo and then were deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Archer. They were put into service in the Canadian theatre of operations around Kandahar in early 2006, marking the first use of the M777 in combat operations.
In the summer, they made a significant contribution during the Battle of Panjwaii when a small number of rounds were used to huge effect on Taliban elements retreating from the battle area. Many of the 72 reported killed during the heaviest period of fighting were due to artillery fire from only two of these guns. In late fall of 2006, the Canadian M777 howitzers were equipped with the Digital Gun Management System, which greatly improved accuracy and led to these guns being used for short range close support of Canadian and US ground forces.
They proved so successful that an order for an additional six guns was placed with BAE. In May 2009, the Canadian government ordered a further 25 M777s, bringing the total to 37. The DGMS is also being improved with integrated communications. On 22 April 2022, Canada sent four of their M777 howitzers, with ammunition, to Ukraine to aid in the defense of Ukraine during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.

India

The Indian Army first announced plans to acquire 145 M777s for ₹30 billion in January 2010. Purchase plans were overtaken when the procurement process was restarted in July 2010. On 11 May 2012, India's Ministry of Defence formally cleared a proposal to buy 145 guns for ₹30 billion through the US government's Foreign Military Sales process. The proposal was scheduled to be reviewed next by the Ministry of Finance, followed by the Cabinet Committee on Security. On 2 August 2013, India requested the sale of 145 M777 howitzers for US$737.582 million.
In February 2014 the purchase was again postponed. In May 2014 the purchase was cleared by India's Ministry of Defence. In July 2014, the government announced that it would not order the guns because of cost issues. In November 2014, the selection process was restarted under the "Make In India" program. In May 2015, the Ministry of Defence approved ₹29 billion to buy 145 M777 ultralight howitzers from the US. In December 2015, the Indian Ministry of Defence said it was keen on placing a follow-up order of 500 more M777 guns.
In June 2016, India once again announced its intent to buy 145 guns from the US, this time for US$750 million. The Indian government formally signed the contract for the purchase on 30 November 2016. Under the agreement, BAE Systems supplied 25 ready-built howitzers, while 120 guns were assembled in India by Mahindra Defence Systems Limited.
The Indian Army received its first shipment of two howitzers in 2017 from the United States in ready-to-use condition. In September 2017, the barrel of one of the howitzers was damaged while firing during calibration trials. The Indian army used the M777 howitzer in the Himvijay exercise in Arunachal Pradesh which involved the newly raised integrated battle groups.
A total of seven artillery regiments were raised, each using 18 guns. The first regiment was planned to be raised by the end of 2020, with 15 guns supplied by BAE systems and three guns supplied by Mahindra Defense Systems Limited. The induction of all seven regiments was completed in 2022. In July 2020, in the wake of escalating tension with China, the Ministry of Defence announced further purchases of Excalibur shells.
Several of these howitzers were deployed in the Ladakh area and the north eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh at the border with China.