Army Arsenal To Produce Marine Corps Gun (June 19)
Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition Lee Buchanan announced today that the U.S. Army's Watervliet Arsenal (WVA), Albany, N.Y., will produce the Lightweight 155mm Towed Howitzer (LW 155) cannon assembly for the U.S. Marine Corps.
The LW 155 program is a joint effort for the Marine Corps and Army to replace the aging M198 155mm howitzer nearing the end of its 20-year service life.
The decision to build the cannon assemblies at WVA was made after analysis from the Joint LW 155 Program Office that showed the WVA was the best value solution for the Marine Corps.
The $1 billion joint program calls for 450 LW 155 howitzers to be built for the Marine Corps and 273 for the Army. The Marine Corps is scheduled to begin fielding in 2003 and complete fielding by 2006. The Army will begin fielding in 2005 and complete fielding by 2009.
The LW 155 weighs about 9,000 pounds, slightly more than half the weight of the 16,000-pound M198. This reduction in weight provides the LW 155 increased ground mobility and airlift capability. The LW 155 can be airlifted by the V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor and CH-47 Chinook helicopter. The LW 155 uses advanced materials, such as titanium, to achieve weight reduction while maintaining strength and durability.
The LW 155 also has a greater rate of fire at 5-8 rounds per minute as compared to the M198's 3-4 rounds per minute.
-ends-
Lightweight 155 mm Towed Howitzer Cannon Assembly Manufacturer Announced
