M777 is already at the front: what is known about the unique howitzers (photo, video)

The M777 howitzers handed over to Ukraine by the United States of America already recommend themselves well in action against the Russian occupiers. For example, the operational command “South” has already said that units of the operational group of troops “Kakhovka” successfully use them on the battlefield.

The site “Today” spoke about the new weapons in the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Characteristics

As noted, the M777 is a 155-mm towed howitzer, which is used by the ground forces of various countries, including the United States, Australia, Canada, India, Saudi Arabia and already Ukraine.

The howitzer is manufactured by the Global Combat Systems division of BAE Systems. The contract management and manufacturing and assembly of titanium structures and related recoil components is based in the UK. However, final assembly and testing is carried out at the BAE facility in the United States, with about 70% of American-made parts used in the howitzer.

The uniqueness of the M777 howitzer, among other things, lies in its mass – 4218 kg – which makes it the lightest howitzer of this type and allows it to be transported, for example, on the external sling of a CH-47 helicopter, and also greatly facilitates landing, maintenance and storage.

In addition, the M777 has high operational capabilities. For example, deployment time is only 6 minutesand an experimental calculation can make about 5 shots per minute. In this case, the calculation consists of five to seven people.

The howitzer can fire guided Excalibur projectiles (the effective firing range, depending on the modification of the projectile, exceeds 40 kilometers), and with the help of special projectiles – to hit targets at long distances with low circular deviation.

Howitzer M777 on exercises. / Photo: Getty Images

Interestingly, the M777 differs from other howitzers in the presence of a high-precision digital computer fire control system Towed Artillery Digitization. It uses GPS and data received from drones to aim at the target, which allows for accurate fire over long distances. Special advantage The M777 is compatible with guided missiles – the M712 Copperhead with laser guidance and the M982 Excalibur with GPS and inertial guidance.

It is noted that the howitzer has such characteristics:

1) range:

• maximum conventional shells – 24.7 km;
• maximum special shells – 40 km;

2) rate of fire:

• intensive – 5 shots per minute for up to 2 minutes;
• standard – 2 shots per minute;

3) deployment:

• deployment –
• clotting –

4) restrictions:

• lifting height – +1.275 mm;
• lowering height – -43 mm;

5) traverse (for transportation) – 400 mm left and right (6.400 mm via QuickSwitch);

6) towing:

• maximum towing speed – 88 km / h;
• cross-country speed – 24 km / h;

7) transportation:

• tractors – MTVR, FMTV, M800 and M900 5-ton trucks, as well as any 2.5-ton trucks;
• aircraft – C130, C141, C17, C5;
• helicopters – CH53E, CH47D, MV22, C-130.

At the same time, as of 2017, the cost of one copy of the M777 was estimated at $3,737,931.

Earlier, the Segodnya website wrote about Panzerhaubitze 2000 self-propelled howitzer guns, which the Armed Forces of Ukraine are already using against Russian invaders.