Artillery's new guns increase range, accuracy

DND/Canadian Forces ^ | 2005-12-02 | Master Corporal Dennis Power

[Clive]

FORT SILL, Oklahoma -- The new M777 155mm howitzer coming into service with the Artillery in November will extend the range and lethality of fire missions supporting ground operations.

Captain Jeffrey Pederson (left), takes part in war games at the U.S. Army Field Artillery School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.

The Triple 7, as gunners call it, is a lightweight 155mm towed howitzer that is air-portable and air-droppable. The design is the result of a joint British-American project, with the guns being manufactured in the United States.

Firing conventional munitions, the gun has a range of 30 km. With precision munitions, such as the Excalibur round, the range can reach 40 km, with the first rounds being effective. The increased accuracy of the Excalibur round is due to the built-in global positioning system guidance system.

"With the equipment we've been using until now, it would sometimes take up to eight minutes after receiving a fire-mission request to have effective rounds hitting the target. With a digitized Triple 7, effective fire can be achieved in under two minutes," said Major Paul Payne, Chief Instructor in gunnery at the Field Artillery School in Gagetown.

Conventional munitions will still require ranging and bracketing to get rounds on target, giving an aggressor with mobility time to move away from the impact area as adjustments are made. With the Excalibur round, commanders and forward observation officers can deliver lethal blows with the first and subsequent rounds.

Staff Sergeant Joseph Andrews, an instructor at the U.S. Army Field Artillery School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, has assisted with training the first Canadians who will use the Triple 7. The 19-year veteran, who has had many tours in combat zones, does not hesitate to describe the Canadian gunners as " a well motivated and well disciplined group of soldiers ... very professional."

Staff Sgt Andrews has a depth of experience as an artilleryman and sums up the Triple 7 this way: "This weapon is high speed, and can always stay in the fight no matter what happens. It's awesome."

After extensive trials and shoots, the first new guns built for the Canadian Army were delivered on November 26, in preparation for deployment to Afghanistan. The gun represents a major leap in technology and its first use in an area of conflict will be with Canadian gun crews.

A joint Canadian-American New Equipment Training Team (NETT), established at Fort Sill, was CFB/ASU Shilo for the arrival of the M777 to conduct further training and live shoots.

Following the shoot, the Canadian component of the NETT will be established in the Field Artillery School at the Combat Training Centre, Canadian Forces Base Gagetown.

Article and photos by Master Corporal Dennis Power

[ExSoldier]

What I want to know about this M777 piece is what hauls it once on the ground so that it can keep up with the Bradleys and M1A1's? What about counterbattery fire? Can it shoot and scoot fast enough?

[Darksheare]

LOL!
That is mean... and hysterical with the tear gas dust.
;-)

[ExSoldier]

Actually a MEAN prank would be (understand I didn't do this....I would never do anything like this) to take the license plate and descriptions of five freshman dormmates known to be slovenly decrepit dopers from New York. Now, I heard that somebody with a huge roll of quarters called from a payphone to notify the state patrols of every state from Florida to New York as to said descriptions, knowing they were carrying a decent amount of recreational marijuana and telling the cops it was 50 lbs of pure heroin....Imagine getting stopped for the fifth time with a bunch of southern cops pointing guns at your long haired head....Anyway....I heard something like this was done back in the 1970's....But it wasn't me! But that's pretty mean thing to do just cause a person is ridiculed for being raised in the South...

[Darksheare]

LOL!!

I have to keep that in mind.
For referencee purposes.

[Little Bill]

This goes back a long way, '60's, but I seem to remember remember calling in arty and having it on target in less than two Minuit's. Is old age catching up with me?

[Cannonette]

And other things that are hard.