New Israeli Army ROEM 155mm Wheeled Howitzer Boasts 80 km Firing Range.

Citing Israeli military sources and confirmed by "The Jerusalem Post" on July 12, 2024, the new generation of 155mm wheeled self-propelled howitzer called "ROEM" has conducted its first operational firing in June 2024 and will be deployed with an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) unit in the coming year.
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The new ROEM 155mm wheeled self-propelled howitzer offers more mobility and firepower than the M109 tracked howitzer currently in service with the Israeli Army. (Picture source: IDF)

For years, Israel has been working on rolling out a new type of futuristic artillery that is supposed to help transform the Israel Defense Forces into a superior artillery force. The new weapon, named Roem, is a large gun that sits on the back of a wheeled vehicle, in contrast to the current Israeli artillery that consists of the M109 155mm tracked self-propelled howitzer.

The immediate difference may not be obvious. It still fires the same caliber shells, but it is part of a larger investment in new technology in the IDF. Think of this like moving to F-35 warplanes from older jet fighters.

In June, the IDF gave a preview of what the new system means for the military. A video it produced and an article on its website said that IDF gunners fired the new cannon for the first time in operational use. It is “the first cannon in the world capable of automatic firing,” the army said at the time.

Maj. Franz says the ROEM project dates back decades to when the IDF first had the idea to build a new artillery piece. He’s been in service since 2004 and is intimately familiar with the M109s, which he has used for almost two decades.

The new Roem was developed by the Israeli company Elbit Systems. “Led by the Defense Ministry and defense manufacturer Elbit, the new Israeli cannon is already considered to be one of Israel’s premier security projects,” Ynet noted last year. “Most of its internal components remain classified. Only a handful of prototypes exist, and one has been modified for potential foreign customers.” In that report, Ynet said a “European variant” of the cannon could fire up to 80 km. The Israeli version will apparently have a shorter range.

The new weapon will be more maneuverable and have a higher firing rate than the M109, so the overall size of artillery units can change slightly. A standard battery of M109s, which usually has around eight guns, can be downsized slightly to 60% of the number of vehicles previously used. That would also free up crews to do other things.

In May 2023, the Israeli Company Elbit Systems published a video showing the new ROEM howitzer performing live mobility demonstrations and live firing tests.

The ROEM is based on a modified 10x10 US Oshkosh truck chassis. It has a crew of three, and it has a crew cabin at the front and an automatic artillery weapon system mounted at the rear.

The ROEM is armed with a 155mm/52 caliber cannon fitted with an automatic loading and laying gun system, rapid in-and-out action times, and a high rate of fire. It offers a protected cabin for a crew of three. Depending on the mission, SIGMA is capable of automatically selecting and loading the required projectile, propellant, and fuze and laying the gun to optimally engage targets.

The wheeled system is more mobile than the tracked M109, with a greater firing range of up to 40 kilometers (25 miles).

According to The Judean, the gun’s European variant will have an even greater firing range of up to 80 kilometers (50 miles).