Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Brandon Aird | A Soldier runs underneath a CH-47 Chinook helicopter while helping to airlift two M777...... read more read more
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By Sgt. Brandon Aird
173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs
JALALABAD AIRFIELD – Afghanistan – Commanders in Task Force Bayonet are starting off the New Year with a new and very valuable asset: M777A2 lightweight 155 mm Howitzers.
CH-47 Chinook helicopters flew in the new M777A2s to various forward operating bases the last two weeks of December.
The M777 will replace some of the currently fielded M198 155 mm towed Howitzers, which will be moved to other locations.
"The new Howitzers are a vast improvement over the old ones," explained 1st Lt. Anthony Demarco, Company F Executive Officer, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne,) 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team. Demarco was assisting in the fielding of the new guns.
The new Howitzer is lighter, can shoot farther and is more accurate than the older Howitzer.
"The triple seven can put steel on target," said Staff. Sgt. Franklin Zenon, a Howitzer mechanic in Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 321st Field Artillery Regiment (Airborne). Zenon and his team of Soldiers will be working with the 173rd ABCT manning the new Howitzer.
The M777 is made out of titanium and is roughly 5,000 pounds lighter than the M198 making it more mobile and user-friendly.
"It also minimizes collateral damage by being extremely accurate," said Zenon, who is originally from New York.
The M777 can fire a Raytheon/Bofors XM982 Excalibur GPS/Inertial Navigation-guided extended-range 155 mm projectile. In short, the round is GPS guided for more accuracy and built for longer range.
Being able to accurately hit a target with indirect fire support is crucial to combat operations.
"The triple seven and excalibur (rounds) are going to save Soldiers' lives and minimize civilian casualities in the process," explained Zenon.
| Date Taken: | 01.03.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 01.03.2008 12:12 |
| Story ID: | 15159 |
| Location: | JALALABAD, AF |
| Web Views: | 755 |
| Downloads: | 634 |
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