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M777A2 LW155 lightweight 155mm towed howitzer
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The M777A2 is an improved version of the standard M777 lightweight 155mm towed howitzer (referred as LW155 in U.S. army) designed and manufactured by the Company BAE Systems. The M777A2 is a towed 155 mm Howitzer jointly developed by the U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps to replace the M198 155mm towed howitzer. It is the first ground combat system whose major structures are made of high-strength titanium alloy resulting in a weight savings of 3,175 kg in comparison to the M198 155 mm Howitzer. The M777A2 incorporates innovative design technologies that reduces system weight to less than 4,500 kg while increases mobility, survivability, deployability, and sustainability for expeditionary operations. The main feature of the M777A2 is the possibility to fire the M982 Excalibur Guided Projectile thanks to a new software update. The Lightweight 155 mm Howitzer System (LW155) provides direct, reinforcing and general artillery fire support to maneuver forces. It can be easily transported by air in a number of transport aircraft including the C-130, C-141, C-5 and C-160 Transall. It can also be transported slung under the UH-60L/UH-60M Black Hawk and CH-53E/CH-53D helicopters and the MV-22 Osprey. The M777A2 is in service with the U.S. Army and Marine Corps and its also used by Australia and Canada. In December 2016, United States has announced a foreign military sale for the delivery of 145 M777A2 lightweight howitzers to the Indian Ministry of Defence.
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- M777: first version of the lightweight 155mm towed howitzer with optical fire control
- M777A1: digitization upgrades with the addition of an on-board power source, satellite global positioning, inertial navigation, radio, Gun Display Unit (GDU) and Section Chief Assembly (SCA). - M777ER: Experimental upgrade created by the Extended Range Cannon Artillery (ERCA) project modified with a 52-caliber barrel, adding 1.8 m to the cannon and less than 450 kg to the overall system, extending range from 30 to 70 km. |
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