THE M777 IS DEADLY IN UKRAINIAN HANDS, BUT EVEN DEADLIER IN AMERICA’S
Alex Hollings | September 9, 2022
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began in February of 2022, the United States has provided the embattled nation with some 126 lightweight M777 Howitzers, along with more than 226,000 rounds of ammunition for these 155mm cannons.
These weapon systems may look an awful lot like artillery found throughout history and all over the world, including the big guns leveraged by Russia’s invading forces. The truth, however, is that the M777, or “Triple 7,” has as much in common with technological marvels like the Mach 3+ SR-71 Blackbird as it does with 93,000-pound behemoths like Russia’s 2S7 Pion self-propelled cannons.
Artillery warfare isn’t just about putting rounds on target. To do it effectively, teams must be able to quickly reposition after firing to avoid being located and engaged by counter-artillery batteries. And as any warfighter will tell you, weight dictates a great deal of mobility.
And that’s why the M777, which weighs in at a tenth of the weight of the 2S7 at just 9,300 pounds, may be the best pound-for-pound artillery system on the planet. To put this gun in 1990’s movie terms, it’s the Noisy Cricket from “Men in Black.”
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