New Howitzer breaks the artillery mold.

• Author: Pappalardo, Joe
• Position: Up Front

The U.S. Marine Corps expects to begin operating a new 155mm towed howitzer next spring. The M777E1, made by BAE Systems, was selected in 1997 to replace the existing inventories of M198 155mm towed howitzers both in the Marine Corps and the Army.

The new howitzer is lighter, more accurate and easier to operate thin existing artillery weapons, said Frank Hoerster, director of fire support systems for BAE.

Lessons from recent operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, he said, prove that artillery is gaining relevance.

"I think there is some controversy that artillery is obsolete, that it isn't high-tech enough," Hoerster said, noting that the M777E1 can hit targets with an accuracy of within 10 meters. "In the urban areas, the jungle or mountains, infantry needs covering fire right away."

Unlike other weapon systems, he said, artillery is "available 24 hours a day and it doesn't care about the weather."

The M777E1 weighs less than 10,000 pounds, or approximately 6,000 pounds less than the system it is replacing. It achieves its lightweight status from a novel production process; it is the first land-based armament system to use investment-cast titanium. During the process a destructible ceramic mold is created, into which the molten metal is poured. It is not unlike emptying wax into a glass bowl, cooling it, and then cracking apart the bowl to reveal the form within.

The gun employs 28 of these investment-cast titanium parts. By using casts, fewer employees are needed to weld parts, and the manufacturing time and costs are reduced.

"The cannon's barrel is not made from titanium, but it's a traditional steel barrel from the U.S. Army arsenal," Hoerster said. "We're not shooting anything from a titanium barrel; that wouldn't work so well."

Parts are cast in facilities in 10 states and shipped to Hattiesburg, Miss. Low-rate production will continue until early 2005, when full-scale manufacturing will begin.

The gun can be towed by a Humvee for short jaunts, or by 5-ton or 2.5-ton trucks for longer distances. It can be transported on a variety of fixed wing...