M777A1 Lightweight 155-mm Howitzer

The M777A1 lightweight 155-mm howitzer is a critical fire support component of U.S. Marine Air Ground Task Forces and U.S. Army Stryker Brigade Combat Teams, and is in full-rate production under a multi-year contract awarded in March 2005.

The M777A1 was designed and developed by BAE Systems in the U.K., and is a joint program between the Army and Marine Corps to replace the M198 towed howitzer. The M777A1 is the first ground combat system to make extensive use of titanium and titanium castings, which reduces the weight of the howitzer – by 7,000 pounds – offering improved transportability and mobility, while retaining the full ammunition and range capability of the M198.

The lightweight howitzer can be transported by Marine Corps MV-22 tilt-rotor aircraft and airdropped by C-130 aircraft.

The M777A1 is the launch platform for the Excalibur precision-guided projectile that will give the M777A1 better than 10-meter accuracy at all ranges out to 40 kilometers. Integration of the Excalibur capability will result in the M777A2 designation.

The howitzer is assembled at BAE Systems' integration facility in Hattiesburg, Miss., and incorporates components manufactured in 10 states and the U.K. To date, 96 guns have been delivered, with 6 additional M777A1s procured by Canada. Four M777 howitzers have been serving in Afghanistan with the Canadian Army since February 2006.