US Targeting System Makes M777 Howitzer Highly Accurate

• After Russia’s attack on Ukraine in February, the US gave Kyiv more than 100 M777 howitzers.
• The M777 is lighter and fires more powerful rounds with greater accuracy than other artillery pieces.
• The M777 is now even more precise thanks to a new targeting system by the US troops.

Since the Russian invasionThe invasion of Ukraine began on February 20, 2022. Since then, the United States has supplied Ukraine with 126 lightweight M777 Howitzers and more than 226,000 rounds ammunition for its 155mm cannons.

These weapons systems could be used to attack other countries. LookIt looks a lot like the artillery used throughout history and around the globe, even the large guns leveraged by Russia’s invading troops. However, the truth is that the M777 (or “The Secret”), is actually a weapon of mass destruction.Triple 7“” has as many similarities with technological marvels such as the Mach 3+ SR-71 Blackbird, as it does with 93,000-pound giants such as Russia’s 2S7 Pion self-propelled guns.

Artillery warfare doesn’t mean firing on targets. For it to work effectively, the teams must be able quickly to reposition after firing so that they are not captured by counter-artillery batteries. Every warfighter will tell ya, WeightMobility is essential.

That’s why you will find the M777, weighing in at one-tenthThe weight of the 2S7 at just 9,300 poundsIt may be the world’s best artillery system pound for pound. It’s the Noisy cricket from Men in Black, 1990.

Ukraine’s King Of Battle

Artillery was so effective in destroying enemy troops during both World Wars that it was given the title, “King of Battle.” The seven months of fighting in Ukraine over the past seven month have proved that the reign of the high-caliber monarch is not yet over.

Russia was well aware for a long time that it would have difficulty gaining or maintaining air superiority against an opponent at NATO-level, and has since taken measures to address this. It was built on its warfighting doctrineAround the idea of overwhelming fire from artillery or heavy armor. Russia may even consider its Air Force little more than airborne gunnery.

“Russia has traditionally emphasized mass fire offensive strategies operationally. Russian military doctrine remains centered on the concentrated use of artillery/rocket artillery as well as large tanks units. — “Russian Armed Forces – Military Doctrine and Strategy“, August 20, 2020 by the Congressional Research Service.

The Ukrainian resistance to the Russian offensive has been resisted by a remarkable feat of technology and firepower. Early reports suggest that it is continuing. counter-offensiveRapid progress is being made in the south of the country.

While the heroic acts of volunteers, Ukrainian troops and fighters cannot be overlooked, large shipments of arms and ammunition from European allies, including the United States, have significantly helped them to fight alongside Russian forces.

—Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) June 13, 2022

Artillery systems like 155mm are among the most effective weapons America has delivered to Ukraine. M777 howitzer.

Social media began to report on M777 systems being used to destroy Russian targets almost immediately after they arrived in Ukraine in May.

The M777 packs a 16,000-pound gun in a smaller package of 40%.

The M198 medium-towed 155mm howitzer, a 155mm 155mm gun, was first put into service in 1979. The M198 was just over 36ft long and weighed in at around 16,000lbs. With a crew of nine to 10, it could fire 95-pound M107 shells and cycle up to targets 14 miles away.

Although the M198 was highly effective, the Army and Marine Corps leadership became concerned about the M198’s ability to move around the battlefield. By the 1990s, the US was once again shopping for a new artillery platform — one that could offer the heavy-hitting power of the M198 in a lighter, and more mobile, package.

The solution came in form of an artillery weapon system that was in development in the UK for over 20 years, originally under Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering. It was later purchased by BAE systems.

At 35 feet long, with a 16.7-foot barrel, this new artillery platform was just slightly shorter than the M198 and fired the same 155mm rounds … but thanks to the widespread use of titanium and aluminum alloys in its construction, weighed 40% lessAt just 9,300 Pounds, the M198 is cheaper than the M198.

The new M777 was light enough to be carried underneath helicopters and delivered by cargo planes. The delivery of an M198 artillery system would require two C-130s, but the M777 setup could be delivered to the battlefield in just one.

The M777 can float like a butterfly but stings as 14 pounds of TNT.

But Lightweight construction of the M777This is not only important for air transportation. Artillery crews are frequently deployed in combat areas, such as “Shoot and scoot“Fight off a few rounds, then move before you can target), The M777’s light weight makes moving easy.

The M777 can be dismantled for transport by well-trained crews in three minutes. They can then reassemble it in the same time. Because of its light weight, M777s can be towable on muddy roads or across fields with wet terrain that would otherwise impede the progress (or stop) of heavier weapons systems.

The M777 also received improved high explosive shells — the 103-pound M795, which carries 24 lb. of TNTIt has a kill range of 70 meters. Each M795 is equipped with the devastating firepower of a Hellfire missileIt is a fraction of what it costs, but you get the same results.

Crews have the ability to set off a fire alarm FiveThese powerful rounds reach targets as far as 19 miles away with a speedy rate of over 100 rounds per minute. Newer (and more expensive) GPS-guided rounds with deployable stabilizing fins known as the M982 Excalibur can reach even further — as far as 25 miles out.

Although the M777 was made of some of the same materials that the SR-71’s, Uncle Sam kept tricking its new howitzer even after it entered service.

America’s M777s received full-bore chromed barrel tubes in the 2010s that were said to increase their service life by up to 300%.

The effectiveness of this upgrade was demonstrated in battle in 2017. SingleOver 35,000 rounds were fired by the Marine M777 Battery at ISIS targets in Syria during just Five months. This is more than all the 155mm artillery bullets fired by the US military during the 2003 invasion.

The Marines were able to withstand the enormous firepower, but they still managed to burn through. TwoThese new chrome-plated barrels are used in the manufacturing process.

The 2016 addition of precision guided fuse kits, which significantly reduced the error rate in targeting high-explosive round by more than a third, was another upgrade. 85%This reduces the error margin from 200 meters to less than 30 meters.

This blast radius of 70 meters ensures that the direct hit is guaranteed when crews with good targeting data have it.

American hands have the M777

Although the lightweight howitzer has been proven effective in modern combat by the Ukrainian forces, many of those in use in Ukraine are using a manual targeting system. These systems require crews to calculate the distance from the target and adjust the weapon sights.

Retired Marine Corps Col. Chris Tavuchis spoke to Sandboxx News on his behalf Hope SeckA feature is a description of Popular MechanicsAlthough it may seem crude, this system is highly efficient.

The M777’s manual targeting device leverages a greater number of smaller units (milliradians, or “mils”) to provide a higher level of accuracy than its Russian counterparts.

The M777 is a blunt instrument that can be transformed into a 155mm scalpel in American hands.

American’s M777 crews use a digital fire control system that is controlled via a tablet computer. This allows them to identify targets quickly and engage them without the need to do any math. This allows for faster firing and eliminates any errors caused by fatigue or battlefield stress.

The M777 can also rely on the Army’s target data for more precise situations. Joint Effects Targeting System, or JETS.

These portable targeting systems can be carried by forward observers or Joint Terminal Attack Controllers into the field. They are capable of identifying targets up to 2.5 kilometers away.

The M777 can be made so accurate by using target data from JETS that Lt.Col. Michael Frank, product manager, Soldier Precision Targeting Devices. ReferredIt is a “Sniper rifles of immense size.”

The Ukraine seems to be proving that artillery can still be used. King of BattleThe M777 has every reason to claim the throne.