Army’s newly named XM1776 howitzer prototype can shoot twice as far as predecessor
Source: Task & Purpose
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The Army has officially designated a new howitzer prototype, which can fire farther and be moved more quickly than the stalwart M777 gun.
The Army unveiled the new howitzer, designated the XM1776, Monday at the Association of the United States Army conference in Washington, D.C. The announcement came as the service took possession of the first of its XM1776 prototypes. The XM1776 is a Mobile Tactical Cannon developed by Hanwha Defense USA and is capable of striking targets at greater ranges and offers more mobility than the towed M777, all with a smaller crew.
Lt. Gen. Francisco J. Lozano, director of the Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office announced the designation on Monday. The new name XM 1776 is intended to reflect the spirit of innovation, independence, and determination that has long characterized the United States Army and the nation it serves, Lt. Gen. Francisco J. Lozano, director of Rapid Capabilities, said at AUSA.
The cannon, based on Hanwha’s K9 Mobile Howitzer, is a wheeled artillery piece built on a truck chassis with a crew of three who can “shoot and scoot” without soldiers having to leave the vehicle’s cab and a roughly 26-foot-long barrel. That gives it a range of up to 37 miles. The M777, by contrast, can fire up to 20 miles with specific ammunition. The Army announced a deal with Hanwha for its Mobile Tactical Cannon program in August.
The new cannon can shoot as many as nine rounds per minute — more than double the M777’s four per minute, Jason Pak, the senior director of business development and head of land systems artillery at Hanwha, told Task & Purpose at AUSA.
The Army noted that the goal for the faster-moving cannons is to increase mobility and reliability on “the modern, highly transparent battlefield” where the proliferation of drones and counter-battery systems make slower artillery positions more vulnerable.
“Part of this being a prototype contract award is going through testing and experimentation, modifications and upgrades as required for the actual platform that’s going to eventually be fielded,” Pak said. “Whatever counter-UAS system that the Army seeks or desires on this, we’re going to outfit it with.”
The Army accepted the first prototype Mobile Tactical Cannon this month, an Army spokesperson confirmed. Defense News first reported on the delivery of the gun.
The XM1776 can also automatically resupply artillery rounds with the soldier operating it from the camera system inside the truck. The automated loader solution lets soldiers operating the cannon do so from inside the cab of the actual truck, Pak told Task & Purpose.
“There are cameras installed in the turret itself, and you can see all the operation going on,” Pak said. “And also, if the automation fails for some reason, there is the ability to fire it manually if needed.”
The Army’s XM1776 prototype is derived from Hanwha’s K9 Mobile Howitzer, which uses a crew of three. Photo courtesy of Hanwha.
The XM1776 won’t outright replace the towed M777. According to the Army, if approved for fielding, the new artillery piece will be used in place of the M777 in “select formations.”
The Mobile Tactical Cannon program is part of a wider effort by the Army to build up its long-range precision fire capabilities. Other efforts have included standing up multi-domain task forces that bring in long-range precision missiles and expansive electronic warfare and targeting capabilities to provide the joint force with tools to quickly strike peer-level forces at a distance.
According to Hanwha’s August announcement, the company is setting up a test facility in Opelika, Alabama, to develop the new XM1776 with the Army.
The initial contract is for six base vehicles with the option of buying 12 more, Pak said. The purpose of the Other Transaction Authority contract, which is more flexible and used for adjusting requirements over time, is to test and experiment on the first set of systems and then go into full-rate production in the coming years to replace M777s, he added.
The post Army’s newly named XM1776 howitzer prototype can shoot twice as far as predecessor appeared first on Task & Purpose.
Classification
Region
North America
Analytical Domain
Operational
Primary Category / Secondary Categories
Weapons & Equipment / Military Operations
Subcategory
New Weapon System
SALUTE Report
Size
3 crew members
Activity
The Army unveiled the XM1776 howitzer prototype, which can fire farther and be moved more quickly than the M777 gun.
Location
Washington, D.C.
Unit
U.S. Army
Time
Monday
Equipment
XM1776 howitzerM777 howitzerK9 Mobile Howitzer
Summary
The U.S. Army unveiled the XM1776 howitzer prototype in Washington, D.C., which can fire up to 37 miles and has a crew of three. This new artillery piece, developed by Hanwha Defense USA, offers greater mobility and firepower than the M777 howitzer. The Army aims to enhance its long-range precision fire capabilities with this new system, which is part of a broader modernization effort.
Key Facts
- The XM1776 can fire up to 37 miles, compared to the M777's 20 miles.
- The XM1776 can shoot nine rounds per minute, more than double the M777's four.
- The Army accepted the first prototype of the XM1776 this month.