US M777 howitzers donated to Ukraine provide high level of accuracy against Russian targets
Citing feedback provided by the Ukrainian soldiers, the M777 155mm towed howitzers donated by Australia, Canada, and the United States offer real tactical advantages on the battlefield thanks to its accuracy and the use of the M982 Excalibur precision-guided artillery ammunition.
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The United States and allied countries have delivered more than 150 M777 155mm towed howitzers to Ukraine's armed forces. (Picture source Screen Shot video Radio Free Europe )
The artillery is a key element in the Russian-Ukrainian War 2022, and according to information provided by Russia and Ukraine, Ukrainian armed forces are firing around 6,000 artillery shells per day while the Russian forces fire more than 20,000 shells per day.
The United States has sent to Ukraine, one of the most accurate artillery shells, the M982 Excalibur which can be fired by the M777A2, which is an improved version of the standard M777 equipped with a digital fire-control system similar to that found on self-propelled howitzers such as the M109A6 Paladin to provide navigation, pointing and self-location, allowing it to be put into action quickly.
The Excalibur M982 is a 155 mm, Global Positioning System (GPS)-guided, extended-range artillery projectile. The Excalibur projectile enables the Soldier to service a precisely located target with first-round effects, denying the enemy the ability to take protective measures or flee the area.
Using the M77A2 155mm howitzers with M982 Excalibur precision-guided artillery ammunition, the Ukrainian soldiers have several times destroyed small targets such as tanks, armored vehicles, bunkers, or ammunition depots thanks to the pinpoint accurcay of the Excalibur ammunition.
With the M777, the Ukrainian armed forces have demonstrated that modern types of towed or self-propelled howitzers donated by the United States and allied are key elements and crucial to conduct counter-offensive operations against Russian troops.
Citing open source information, today, Ukraine has already received from the United States 142 M777 155mm towed howitzers including the M777A2 variant with 4,200 M982 Excalibur precision-guided artillery shells. Canada has supplied Ukraine with four M777 howitzers while Australia donated 6 M777s.
The M777 is an ultra-light or lightweight howitzer designed and manufactured by BAE Systems. It has a maximum firing range of 24.7 km with standard rounds and 30 km with EFRB (Extended Range Full Bore) rounds. It can also fire the M982 Excalibur GPS-guided munition, which allows accurate fire at a range of up to 40 km.
The M777A2 is an improved version of the standard M777 lightweight 155mm towed howitzer (referred to as LW155 in the U.S. army) designed and manufactured by the Company BAE Systems. The main feature of the M777A2 is the possibility to fire the M982 Excalibur Guided Projectile thanks to a new software update. The Excalibur shell has a firing range from 8.7 to 39.3 km with an accuracy of 2 m.