• Thanks for stopping by. Logging in to a registered account will remove all generic ads. Please reach out with any questions or concerns.

SP M777

Kirkhill

Fair Scunnert
Subscriber
Donor
Reaction score
7,073
Points
1,160
Not so much an SP as a tiltbed with a winch to carry the gun on the back.   The gun can also be towed freeing up the bed for ammunition.

It is a companion piece to the LIMAWS (R) Light Mobile Artillery Weapons System (Rocket) proposed by Lockheed for the Brits Light MLRS requirement. 
Transportable as 2 /C-130J-30 and 1/CH-47.  Truck with kneeling air suspension.

M777 Concept Demonstrator Showcased at DSEI
 
 
(Source: BAE Systems; issued Sept. 13, 2005)
 
 
A new transport concept for the revolutionary BAE Systems M777 155mm howitzer, now in full rate production for the US Marine Corps and US Army, is being showcased at DSEi.  

Developed in response to a specific UK MoD requirement (LIMAWS (G)) the M777 Portee system combines the ground breaking strengths of the world's lightest 155mm howitzer with a purpose built vehicle developed by Supacat.  

The integrated system has been extensively evaluated by the UK MoD as part of the LIMAWS (G) assessment phase, during which both tactical and strategic mobility were assessed and over 350 rounds fired in test conditions.  

Nick Wilson, head of business development Indirect Fire Systems says, "M777 performed well throughout the evaluation period demonstrating a unique combination of firepower and mobility with the potential to make a significant contribution to the MoD's medium weight capability requirements."  

The 8x6 Portee System is a new vehicle design utilising suspension technology developed for Supacat's highly successful High Mobility Truck (HMT) 'family'. These vehicles are now entering service in 2-axle and 3-axle form with both the UK and US armed forces. They offer a significant improvement in mobility over other wheeled military vehicles. The HMT suspension system makes the Portee ideally suited to operation over difficult and demanding terrain.  

This 'Portee' vehicle has the capability to transport the howitzer onto C-130 aircraft, amphibious craft as well as move as a compact system for longer road or cross country journeys. On reaching the combat area the howitzer is quickly dismounted, allowing it to be towed rapidly into and out of action and up to 3 ammunition containers can be carried in its place allowing a total of over 70 readily available rounds.  

The HMT has been selected as the universal platform for a number of roles in the British Army, including mobile communications Ground Station, EW Ground Station, UAV Ground Station, lightweight mobile artillery platform (rocket) and for other specialized applications.  

The M777 is the world's first 155mm howitzer weighing less than 10000lbs (4218kg) achieved through innovative design and the use of titanium and aluminium alloys. It is designed specifically to meet the growing requirement for flexible and accurate artillery fire support being capable of rapid re-deployment by battlefield helicopters and of being towed by lightweight limber or utility vehicles. M777 is fully developed and in production and the first 2 US Marine Corps units to be equipped have taken delivery to achieve an initial operational capability (IOC) early in the New Year.  

Over $US 100 million has been invested in the development of the M777, which has been monitored and audited by US authorities, passing each stage with full acceptance. It is the most reliable and risk-free howitzer available today.  

Equipped with a fully integrated digital fire control system the howitzer can be brought into action in less than one minute, and moved to an alternative firing position in less than three minutes.  

The speed of movement, deployability, rapid into and out of action times and overall manoeuvrability around the battlefield makes the howitzer 70% more effective than its predecessor in terms of rounds fired and target effect, and also offers enhanced survivability.  

The M777 is designed to fire the most modern types of ammunition currently in production and development including the XM982 'Excalibur' precision round, allowing it to achieve high levels of accuracy with targets over 40km away. In conjunction with such ammunition, M777 is the most developed, tested, safe and reliable gun and weapon combination available to allies.  

Over 600 systems will be supplied to the US Marine Corps, the US Army and National Guard.  


BAE Systems has major operations across five continents and customers in some 130 countries. The Company employs over 90,000 people and generates annual sales of approximately £14.8 billion through its wholly owned and joint-venture operations.  

-ends-  

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/cgi-bin/client/modele.pl?session=dae.4308111.1089903978.QPadasOa9dUAAESlMZk&modele=jdc_34
http://www.baesystems.co.uk/dsei/newsreleases/sep/130905news187.htm
http://www.insys-ltd.co.uk/operational_areas/PSM/limaws.htm

 
LIMAWS (R) Light Mobile Artillery Weapons System (Rocket)

Now there is something we could use .

A battery of these would give the Brigade a decent CB and deep attack capability .

When was the last time Canada had _real_ Div. artillery assets ? WWII ?

Craig
 
Craig:

When was 4 RCA stood down?  They used to launch the Honest John Battlefield Rocket (Nuclear Capable). IIRC they were still in existence in the 70's.

The LIMAWS(R) also will launch the GMRLS (70 km 3-10m CEP?) and the ATACMS-P (>200km 3-10m CEP?).
 
Wow , the Honest John  :D , we have a couple of peices of the shrapnel in the Mess .

Not sure when they went out of service , they sure predate me . Maybe an older member will remember ?

I knew about the rockets on the LIMAWS(R) , again , this is something Canada should have bought into long ago .

Craig
 
The Honest John rocket system was in Canadian service from 1960 to 1970. It was operated in Germany by 1 Surface-to-Surface Missile (SSM) Battery, RCA, while 2 SSM Training Battery, RCA fed members to it during each summer posting cycle. 1 SSM had four launchers, while 2 SSM manned two. Incidentally, it had earned the reputation as the best nuclear delivery unit in the NATO armies.

I do not know where the rumour/story that 4 RCHA was an Honest John unit came from, but this was not the case. 4 RCHA was formed circa 1951 as the 81st Field Regiment RCA and was supposed to go to Germany, as the plan was to deploy a division to Europe, instead of a brigade. Instead, it served in Korea 1953-1954, where it was redesignated 4 RCHA, a clear sign that it was going to stay on the order of battle. (By tradition and practice dating back to 1905, regular field regiments are RCHA) The regiment then went to Camp Utopia, New Brunswick, which was near St George on the Fundy coast, and then served in Germany 1955-1957. On return to Canada, 4 RCHA was posted to Petawawa, where it remained until it was disbanded in 1970. It was a happy, efficient regiment much beloved by those of us fortunate to have served the guns in it.
 
Thanks Old Sweat.  Much appreciated.

Camp Utopia???
 
The contractor that used to sit next to me was employed as a driver in the survey troop for the HJ missiles.
 
Kirkhill,

Camp Utopia had been a Second World War RCAF station. From the pictures I have seen, it was a collection of H Huts and a parade square, plus, of course, the abandoned air field. As for the name, someone had an odd sense of humour.
 
Old Sweat said:
Kirkhill,

Camp Utopia had been a Second World War RCAF station. From the pictures I have seen, it was a collection of H Huts and a parade square, plus, of course, the abandoned air field. As for the name, someone had an odd sense of humour.

Old Sweat,

Would that be near Penfield?  If so then the locals still call it Old Army Camp road.  Talked to an old fellow who remembered troops exercising in the area up until the late 60s/early 70s.
 
Ammo Tech 90,

Yes, it was near Pennfield. If NB Hwy 1 has not been re-routed, the airfield used to be visible from the highway.
 
Further to my last, there is a place named Utopia that appears on modern maps of the area. Therefore RCAF Utopia - later Camp Utopia - reflects the pracitce of naming camps/stations/whatever after the local settlement. At the risk of offending Muskrat 89, PJ Devil Dog, Mcleod et al, I guess the early settlers of this part of New Brusnwick could be accused of terminal optimism.
 
There is a short piece on Pennfield strip at http://www.geocities.com/blacksharbour/pennfield.html
 
It is still a Towed howitzer, reading the articles, it portee's onto the aircraft, unloads upon arrival, and then gets towed into battle.  This is not a machine like the G6 or the DANA.
 
You're right Bomber.  I repeated the error of the original headline writer on the news service I took the article from.

Mea culpa. :-[
 
Old Sweat said:
Kirkhill,
Camp Utopia had been a Second World War RCAF station. From the pictures I have seen, it was a collection of H Huts and a parade square, plus, of course, the abandoned air field. As for the name, someone had an odd sense of humour.

Take about bringing an old thread back to life, but I just wanted to set things clear on Pennfield & Utopia (since someone may 'google', like I did)

Actually Army Camp Utopia was seperate from the operates at RCAF Pennfield Ridge (#2 ANS/#24 OTU). Pennfield Ridge was developed under the BCATP (British Commonwealth Air Training Plan) and operated from 1941-1945, then it went to the Department of Transport and operated with Trans-Canada Airlines until 1951. The Department of Defense (under the Army) gained back some control of Pennfield as it was used to service/support nearby Camp Utopia (A-30; Canadian Advanced Infantry Training Centre), which was a large training camp and preceeded CFB Gagetown. Camp Utopia operate from late 1940 to shortly after 1954. 8th Hussars, Royal 22e Regiment, Royal Army Pay Corps, were just a few of the groups that trained at Utopia. The properties of Pennfield Ridge and Utopia butted against each other and during the war, certainly Pennfield's airfield would have been an asset to Utopia. Not too mention that the CP Railway ran through the air station and the army camp. Utopia gets it's name from the nearly by lake, Lake Utopia. Both training facilities were located near the town of St. George. Today, only foundations, a few servicable firing ranges and runways remain.
 
To further bring this thread back to life...

In June 2006 BAE Systems issued another press release concerning the 8x6 Portee.  It was to make its debut at a Paris arms show (Eurosatory).  Here's a link to the word doc press release:
http://baesystems.com/newsroom/2006/jun/docs/137.doc

Interesting.  They sell this prime mover as being "...ideally suited to operation over difficult and demanding terrain...".  Umm... looking at the picture, I'm wondering what their definition of "difficult and demanding terrain" is?  It looks like it has a ground clearance of about 6 inches???  ;D

Nevertheless, it looks cool.  You'd think they'd display an up-armoured version though.  Anyone hear anything more about this piece of kit?  Has the USMC, US Army, or RA actually bought it?

Mark
 
Mark, I  believe that the vehicle has "kneeling" and self-leveling air suspension so as to keep the vehicle low enough to fit inside a C-130, or to motor along highways.  Cross-country it can be elevated to increase ground clearance.

For the HMT, air suspension not only provides a major step forward in off-road mobility, but also gives advantages in much reduced levels of shock and vibration that reduce crew fatigue and equipment failure. The air suspension is self-levelling and the suspension height is variable from the driver’s seat.
http://www.meggitt.com/info/press_detail.asp?NewsID=174

Here's the manufacturer's site.
http://www.supacat.com/index.htm

And here are a couple of related releases.
http://www.defense-update.com/products/p/portee.htm
http://www.strategypage.com/militaryforums/4-1543.aspx
 
Gotcha...  tks

You'd think that there would be more pictures out there for something like this.  Everyone seems to have that same stock photo.  If I was selling it, I'd display a whack of photos and videos of it in a... photo... gallery!  Yeah, that's it!  ;D

They should show a nifty video of it driving up to the gun, kneeling down all dromedary-like and then show the gunners winching the gun on.  It would be interesting to see how that compared to the speed with which we can come out of action using an HL.
 
Back
Top