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2nd Battalion, 10th Marines fire new howitzers
Submitted by: 2nd Marine Division
Story Identification #: 2007112095337
By Lance Cpl. Joshua Murray, 2nd Marine Division
MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (Nov. 20, 2007) -- In 1982, the Marine Corps adopted the M198 155mm Medium Howitzer into its arsenal. The Corps employed the M198s for nearly 26 years. Now the M777A2 Lightweight 155mm Howitzers, aka triple sevens, are replacing them.
For the first time, Marines from Battery L, 2nd Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, used the M777A2 during a field training exercise here Nov. 7-8.
“As far as mission capabilities, the weapon is a lot faster,” said Sgt. Ryan Harshman, section chief, gun three, Battery L. “We're able to emplace and shoot a lot quicker than we could with the M198.”
Made mostly of titanium, the M777A2 weighs nearly 7,000 pounds less than the aluminum and steel M198s, allowing for more diverse transportation.
“Now that (the howitzer) is under 10,000 pounds, it can be lifted a lot easier with all the aircraft,” Harshman said. “It being lighter is also a lot easier on the Marines.”
The reduced weight is only one advancement on the artillery gun line. The Fire Direction Center can send command messages to the gun line through a VHF radio linked to a digital display called the chief of section display. The gunner and assistant gunner also have displays that allow them to aim the gun before the quadrant (aiming up and down) and deflection (aiming left and right) are called out.
“Once I acknowledge a fire mission, they already have the deflection and quadrant,” Harshman said. “They're moving the tube before I even say it. Receiving messages through the displays saves about seven seconds, which is a lot when sending rounds down range.”
The voice fire commands that were sent to the gunline via wire communications were accurate when transmitted to the gun, but could be heard or written down incorrectly by the Marines on the gun line. The digital link removes the chance of human error, said Sgt. Daniel Barron, assistant operations chief for the FDC, Battery L.
The new computers and a new hydraulic breech make it a smooth operating machine, Harshman said. The loading tray and breech are now hydraulically powered. Crew members still ram rounds into the barrel, but with the M198, loading the howitzer was a completely manual process.
“The breech was opened and closed by hand,” Harshman said. “the loading tray would sit on the deck and two Marines would pick it up to seat the round and then ram it. From what I've seen, the new hydraulic loading tray is saving time between rounds.”
Harshman and his gun crew have only worked together with the weapons system for about three weeks, but he has faith his crew is capable of deploying and using the M777A2 right now.
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