BAE Systems delivers 500th M777 Howitzer (Most to US MIlitary)

Defence Talk ^ | April 17, 2009 | Jeff Head

[bert]

BAE runs the largest Army explosives manufacturing plant in America, Holston Army Ammunition plant in Kingsport Tennessee.

[Jeff Head]

Tough to get these babies anywhere near some of the mountain top locations our troops are fighting on and near any other way...but when they are there, they make a huge difference.

[SuperLuminal]

Nice weapon. Great pictures.

Have little doubt that Gateobama has plans to convert these to a more humane conflict-resolution tool using either soft beanbags or water jets instead of those evil-looking shells.

[Chode]

wicked nice gun, but the one thing it didn't mention was the rate of fire.

with the tube mounted low like that, will it necessitate more barrel travel for loading and hence longer time between rounds?

[philman_36]

YEAH! BIG GUN PORN!

[behzinlea]

Great idea. Does anyone know if Walmart still has any ammo for one of these puppies? ;)

[philman_36]

Until they get shot out of the air and you have a broken helo and broken gun on the ground.
Artillery is placed well behind the front lines. Our perimeters would have to be seriously compromised to have a helo get shot down as you depict here.
I'm not saying it couldn't happen, but your scenario is a stretch.

[philman_36]

Additionally it is a lot easier for enemy counter-battery fire to kill the crews of towed artillery. They don’t have the protection of the M-109 series of sp 155s.
Jeez, Louise! Why don't you just come out and say it's a piece of feces and isn't worth the money being spent on it.
That sure does sound like what you're saying without actually saying it.
But I could be wrong...

[PAR35]

Don’t know why it couldn’t have been made in America.

Or Germany, like the tank guns

[Eastbound]

Ready to trade up, Travis?

[cva66snipe]

Kid: Say Pop weren't you in a Howitzer Battery?
Pop: Say what?
Kid: Pop, weren't you in a Howitzer Battery?
Pop: Hows her what?
Kid: The tank Pop! Weren't you on a gun crew?
Pop: Thank me for what?
Kid: The Army Pop. Weren't you a Tank Commander?
Pop: She's been that way ever since I got out of the Army son, I just haven't been able to understand her.

[Redbob]

Projectile leaves the barrel over 2600 fps.

[tanuki]

Interesting! Thanks for the info.

[Redbob]

BAE also run the plant building the MRAP in Sealy, Texas.
Now, if only they could figure out how to open the 600 lb door on one of those when it’s been knocked over on its side...

[Jeff Head]

Oh...you’re just snipin’ you old sea dog.

[cva66snipe]

Huh? What did ya say? My first exposure to a 155 was at Ft Stewart, Georgia. I was in a How Battery {Tracks} and assigned to Ammo hauling. We were there for our NG units two weeks training.

First night out on the range we had unloaded the rounds, powder, fuses, etc to the gun crews and our sections job was done for the night. So I climb up in the back of my truck {you don't sleep on the ground down there tain't smart} and went to sleep. I didn't hear the words "Fire Mission". Next thing I heard was several battery strength rounds going off maybe 50 feet away.

What I posted likely any 13-B would understand. LOL BTW I really am partially deaf now. I'd say that didn't help matters none. I was sleeping because that's just the way things worked out. Our work was getting the rounds and powder from the depot to the guns. We worked when others slept and often slept while others worked.

[tophat9000]

Damm that poor sum b’ich running back and forth to swab the barrel must get tired

[hosepipe]

That gun will put a hitch in somebody’s gitalong..

[Clive]

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[Clive]

The correct name of the regiment that is using the M777 in Afghanistan is the Royal Canadian Horse Artillery. The Royal Horse Artillery is a Brit regiment.

exg, how about posting one or two the pictures that your spouse sent from Helmand and Kandahar.