British arms company BAE Systems has signed an initial $50 million deal with the U.S. Army to boost its new M777 howitzer program.
Production of M777 howitzers will start again in Great Britain
The British company BAE Systems is preparing to resume production of components for M777 howitzers. This is related to the war in Ukraine and the demand for artillery weapons.
This is reported by the Financial Times.
The company has signed an initial $50 million deal with the U.S. Army to boost the new program while they finalize the details of a broader contract.
The company also noted a significant increase in global interest in these weapons from the countries of Europe, Asia and America since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine in February 2022.
The US, Canada and Australia provided M777s to Ukraine, where they proved their high effectiveness against Russian invasion forces, the material says.
Currently, more than 1,250 M777 howitzers are in service with the ground forces of Australia, Canada, Colombia, India, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine and the United States, and their first combat use took place in the war in Afghanistan.
In Britain, the first deliveries are expected in 2025
BAE Systems hopes the new contract and revamped component production line will lead to orders for complete M777 howitzers.
Although the main manufacturing takes place in the U.K., assembly often takes place in the US. The company intends to work with suppliers in both the UK and the US to produce the M777's main titanium structures, which form the core of the weapon, with the first parts expected to be delivered in 2025, the publication said.
The company believes that this contract creates ideal conditions for resuming production. The M777 is manufactured in the U.K. and enables new and existing users to participate in the new M777 manufacturing initiative, benefiting from a well-established production line and economies of scale.
Howitzer M777: what is known
This howitzer has conventional and reactive types of projectiles. Both types are in service with the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Ammunition has a higher explosive content and a more extended range.
Such howitzers destroy advanced command posts, warehouses with ammunition, fuel, lubricants, and enemy equipment accumulations and artillery batteries.
Earlier, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine reported that the Ukrainian military is actively using the M777 howitzer in the war against the Russian invaders. Its parameters are better than those of Soviet systems and are easy to operate.
