Modified M777ER

[tomahawk6]

Great idea.Take an existing system and try to extend its range to 70k.They would accomplish this by adding 6 feet of barrel and 1000lb to the carriage weight.This would be less expensive than an all new system,if it works.

http://www.army.mil/article/164462/Picatinny_engineers_seek_to_double_range_of_modified_howitzer/

 

[sidemount]

Nice idea so long as they beef up the hydrolic system. It does not hold up when firing high charges, I can just imagine the force it will take firing a round 70km

 

[Nfld Sapper]

Would not want to tow that around....That would make the gun almost 40ft long....

 

[GAP]

Would not want to tow that around....That would make the gun almost 40ft long....

What's the difference than all those semi's pulling 53 ft trailers? 

 

[a_majoor]

Various types or ER ammunition currently exist, and there is a push to utilize the aerodynamic design of the proposed railgun rounds to extend the range of conventional artillery as well (although not to the 200+km of an actual railgun).

I'm thinking the tradeoff of the extra length/mass of the gun for the extended range might not be worthwhile if it makes the gun too difficult to get in and out of action. We will have to see how it works in tests.

 

[armyvern]

What's the difference than all those semi's pulling 53 ft trailers?

We would creep into the CAF's "Professional Trucker's" empire AOR ...  [Xp

 

[jollyjacktar]

Various types or ER ammunition currently exist, and there is a push to utilize the aerodynamic design of the proposed railgun rounds to extend the range of conventional artillery as well (although not to the 200+km of an actual railgun).

I'm thinking the tradeoff of the extra length/mass of the gun for the extended range might not be worthwhile if it makes the gun too difficult to get in and out of action. We will have to see how it works in tests.

I was a Mo Gunner as a youngster and can imagine some of the crew challenges for this upgrade.  The proposed range will be interesting if achievable.

 

[George Wallace]

I was a Mo Gunner as a youngster and can imagine some of the crew challenges for this upgrade.  The proposed range will be interesting if achievable.

Interesting to figure out how it would effectively be able to "counter battery" it at those distances.

 

[Nfld Sapper]

What's the difference than all those semi's pulling 53 ft trailers?

Add in the length of the prime mover and you are looking at close to 70ft (using the HLVW-Crane variant has a base line which is just over 30 ft long)

 

[jollyjacktar]

Interesting to figure out how it would effectively be able to "counter battery" it at those distances.

Quite so. 

 

[jollyjacktar]

Add in the length of the prime mover and you are looking at close to 70ft (using the HLVW has a base line which is just over 30 ft long)

Camming up all that territory would be burdensome.

 

[Kirkhill]

One method of getting around the long trailer and maybe improving mobility.  The tractor is a manufactured by the Supacat team that produced the Jackal and Coyote.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Various types or ER ammunition currently exist, and there is a push to utilize the aerodynamic design of the proposed railgun rounds to extend the range of conventional artillery as well (although not to the 200+km of an actual railgun).

I'm thinking the tradeoff of the extra length/mass of the gun for the extended range might not be worthwhile if it makes the gun too difficult to get in and out of action. We will have to see how it works in tests.

This is all math and stuff so I am not qualified to comment, but I assume they are thinking of these fancy bullets: http://www.dtic.mil/ndia/2011ballistics/12015.pdf

 

[Old Sweat]

The M777 is normally towed with the barrel turned to the front. It is rotated to the firing position prior to moving on the gun position. Six extra feet seems a small price to pay for twice the range, which means being able to reach out and touch someone with a lot more steel on the target.

Remember that the FOO (or an UAV for that matter) potentially has every gun with range no farther away than the tip of his antenna.

 

[Nfld Sapper]

The M777 is normally towed with the barrel turned to the front. It is rotated to the firing position prior to moving on the gun position. Six extra feet seems a small price to pay for twice the range, which means being able to reach out and touch someone with a lot more steel on the target.

Remember that the FOO (or an UAV for that matter) potentially has every gun with range no farther away than the tip of his antenna.

Remember OS the pintel mount is on the the barre for this beast...unlike the LG-1 and C-3 howtizers where the pintel is on the trails.....

 

[Old Sweat]

Yes, I am aware of that. It can lead to a pendulum effect when towing.

Back in 1969 my guys trialled the M118 British light gun which also was towed muzzle first. It also could sway and it was much shorter than the M777.

 

[Shrek1985]

Sounds like we want to live up to the performance of decades-old G5 with long-range shells.

 

[Kirkhill]

Yes, I am aware of that. It can lead to a pendulum effect when towing.

Back in 1969 my guys trialled the M118 British light gun which also was towed muzzle first. It also could sway and it was much shorter than the M777.

Doesn't all that swinging and swaying impact the barrel?

 

[Cloud Cover]

One method of getting around the long trailer and maybe improving mobility.  The tractor is a manufactured by the Supacat team that produced the Jackal and Coyote.

I wonder what the time to shoot and scoot with that transport system is?

On the counter battery issue, if fired at max range of 70KM, then the gun is outside the range of a guided MLRS rocket that is not in ballistic mode. Even if it could be targeted, the time of flight for counter battery is what?? More than 60 seconds I would guess...

 

[Kirkhill]

I wonder what the time to shoot and scoot with that transport system is?

On the counter battery issue, if fired at max range of 70KM, then the gun is outside the range of a guided MLRS rocket that is not in ballistic mode. Even if it could be targeted, the time of flight for counter battery is what?? More than 60 seconds I would guess...

The howitzer is partially unloaded from the vehicle before firing. A total of 20 rounds of ammunition are carried. The advantage of such design is that the M777 Portee is more mobile than ordinary towed howitzers. Also when the howitzer is loaded onto the vehicle it can go over terrain, that would trap other towed howitzers. Unique feature of the M777 Portee is that artillery system can be easily removed or attached to the chassis. With the howitzer removed the vehicle acts as an artillery tractor and can carry additional ammunition instead of artillery system. In the towing mode the M777 Portee can carry a total of 71 rounds.
  Cab of the M777 Portee provides light armor protection and NBC protection for the crew. It accommodates the driver plus gun crew.
  The M777 Portee is mounted on the chassis of the Supacat HMT 800 8x6 high mobility truck. Vehicle can be carried by the C-130 transport aircraft. Thus it can be carried underslung by two CH-47 Chinook helicopters.

http://www.military-today.com/artillery/m777_portee.htm

There is a nice little video of the system in action - including the tractor towing the gun at speed conventionally - 7 man crew.