US Army's Artillery Revolution: Next-Gen Platforms and Munitions

The US Army's Artillery Modernization Push

The United States Army is undertaking a major effort to modernize and transform its field artillery capabilities. This initiative stems from a classified two-year study called the "tactical fire study," which closely examined artillery usage in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. With artillery accounting for over 70% of casualties in that war, the US military recognized an urgent need to upgrade its own artillery systems and doctrine.

While the full report remains classified, statements from Army leadership and observable resource allocations provide insight into the military's plans for artillery modernization. The overarching goals appear to be increasing range, mobility, rate of fire, and overall lethality of artillery assets.

Extending Artillery Range

One of the primary focus areas for artillery modernization is significantly extending effective firing range. In 2019, the Army began experimenting with the Extended Range Cannon Artillery (ERCA) program, which aimed to triple the range of tube artillery.

Typically, conventional tube artillery has a range of about 20 miles, with extended range munitions pushing that to around 35 miles. The ERCA program set an ambitious goal of achieving ranges up to 70 miles.

The experimental ERCA system featured:

• A massive 30-foot long gun tube, about 10 feet longer than standard artillery
• An autoloader system to enable a rate of fire up to 10 rounds per minute
• During testing at White Sands Missile Range, it successfully hit a target 68 miles (110 km) away

However, after years of development, the Army ultimately canceled the M1299 extended range cannon program. Several factors contributed to this decision:

1. Issues with the autoloader system on such a large platform
2. Significant barrel wear after relatively few shots, impacting sustainability
3. Engineering challenges balancing range, accuracy, and barrel life
4. Delays in the development process

More importantly, the Army discovered that extending range didn't necessarily require a larger gun. General James Rainey, Commander of US Army Futures Command, noted: "What we realized is just by focusing on the round, we had a significant amount of success in extending the range."

New munition developments like the XM1155 round can double the range of existing artillery systems while maintaining accuracy against moving targets. These advancements made the extended range cannon program less attractive from a cost-benefit perspective.

The Rise of Smart Munitions and Electronic Warfare Challenges

While "smart" artillery rounds with internal guidance systems can dramatically improve range and accuracy, they also introduce new vulnerabilities. The tactical fires study highlighted the need for caution when developing and deploying these advanced munitions.

Intelligence from Ukraine revealed that Russian forces have successfully employed GPS spoofing attacks to misdirect US-supplied Excalibur guided artillery rounds. These electronic warfare tactics can fool the munition's guidance system, causing it to miss its intended target.

The effectiveness of these countermeasures led some Ukrainian artillery units to stop using certain guided weapons altogether. This serves as a warning of the electronic warfare challenges facing modern artillery systems.

In response, future guided artillery rounds will likely incorporate improved software and alternative guidance methods to enhance resilience against electronic attacks. The US military must continue to evolve its technologies to stay ahead of potential adversaries in this electronic arms race.

The Decline of Towed Artillery

One of the most significant shifts highlighted by the tactical fire study appears to be a move away from towed artillery systems. Despite a long history dating back to medieval Europe, towed artillery may be becoming obsolete on the modern battlefield.

Currently, the US Army operates:

• 518 M777 howitzers
• 417 M119 105mm towed artillery pieces

While these systems work well in counterinsurgency operations due to their ability to be transported by helicopter, they have significant drawbacks in high-intensity conflicts:

• Slow to relocate
• Vulnerable to counter-battery fire
• Limited "shoot and scoot" capability

General Rainey emphasized this point, stating: "I personally believe that we have witnessed the end of the effectiveness of towed artillery. The future is not bright for towed artillery."

The primary issue is displacement time. Against a near-peer threat like China or Russia, towed artillery simply takes too long to set up, fire, and relocate before enemy forces can target their position.

How US Artillery Modernization Fell Behind

The current push for artillery modernization comes after decades of relative neglect. Several factors contributed to this situation:

1. Focus on counterinsurgency: During operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, many artillery units were repurposed for infantry roles due to low demand for traditional fire support.

2. Emphasis on air power: Precision airstrikes took precedence over artillery in many situations.

3. Investment in other areas: Significant resources were directed towards stealth aircraft, naval assets, and other military technologies.

4. Rocket artillery advancements: While tube artillery was neglected, rocket artillery systems like HIMARS did see some development.

To put this in perspective, only about 60,000 artillery shells were fired during the entire 1991 Gulf War by US forces. Even during intense urban combat in Fallujah in 2004, only around 30,000 rounds were expended.

This relative inactivity led to a decline in artillery readiness and modernization efforts. The current push aims to reverse this trend and bring US artillery capabilities back to the forefront of military operations.

The Need for Rapid Displacement

One of the key lessons from the Ukraine conflict is the critical importance of rapid artillery displacement. This refers to the ability to quickly set up, conduct a fire mission, and then relocate before the enemy can effectively return fire.

Russian artillery units equipped with organic drone capabilities can reportedly engage targets within 180 seconds of detection. Units reporting to a fire control center may hit targets within just 30 seconds of spotting them.

This rapid engagement capability puts immense pressure on artillery units to improve their mobility and speed of operation. The US Army's current inventory of self-propelled artillery is limited:

• Approximately 731 M109 tracked self-propelled howitzers

While tracked vehicles offer some mobility advantages over towed artillery, they are still slower and less nimble than wheeled systems. They also require a larger logistics tail for maintenance and support.

Additionally, current US artillery systems are considered outdated in some respects:

• Manual insertion of primers
• Use of lanyards for firing
• Lack of fully automated loading systems

By contrast, modern systems from other nations offer significant advantages:

• Danish Caesar system: Can deploy and fire within 20-30 seconds
• BAE Systems Archer: Can fire six rounds and displace 500 meters in under 2 minutes
• Fully automated loading and firing systems

To address these shortcomings, the US Army issued a request in 2022 for a next-generation wheeled artillery system. Key requirements include:

• Truck-based platform
• Integrated digital fire control system
• 155mm munition compatibility
• Autoloader capabilities
• Advanced cannon cooling technologies

The Rise of Wheeled Artillery

The increased survivability and mobility of wheeled, truck-based artillery systems have not gone unnoticed by other nations:

• China: Conducted live-fire drills with its PCL-181 system in 2023
• Russia: Deployed the 2S43 Malva wheeled artillery piece

These developments further underscore the global shift towards more mobile artillery platforms.

Automation and Robotics in Artillery

Beyond improving the artillery pieces themselves, the US Army is also exploring ways to automate various aspects of artillery operations. As far back as January 2020, the Army was testing robotics systems from six defense companies to automate the loading and unloading of artillery rounds.

The scope of these automation efforts extends beyond just the gun line. The Army is looking at ways to employ robotics throughout the entire artillery supply chain, including:

• Ammunition ordering systems
• Inventory tracking
• Transport methods
• Packaging innovations

By incorporating robotics and automation, the Army aims to create a more efficient, 24/7 capable logistics system that reduces the burden on human personnel.

Soft Recoil Technology

Another promising area of artillery development is soft recoil technology. This innovative approach to managing artillery recoil offers several advantages:

1. Reduced parts count: From 2,500 in traditional systems to just 250 in soft recoil designs
2. Lower logistical requirements
3. Increased mobility: Allows powerful artillery to be mounted on lighter vehicles

The soft recoil firing process works as follows:

1. The cannon is released from its latched position and moves forward to a predetermined distance.
2. Upon reaching this position, the system fires.
3. A hybrid soft recoil system absorbs the forces and returns the cannon to its original position.

This process significantly reduces recoil forces by utilizing the principle of conservation of momentum.

One example of soft recoil artillery in action is the 105mm Hawkeye system. This lightweight system can:

• Fire accurately at ranges up to 10 miles
• Quickly relocate after firing
• Be mounted on vehicles as small as Humvees

AM General, a developer of soft recoil technologies, has already deployed a 105mm system to Ukraine for combat testing. They are also working on larger truck-mounted options.

The primary advantages of soft recoil systems include:

• Improved mobility and "shoot and scoot" capabilities
• Reduced logistical footprint
• Ability to mount powerful artillery on smaller, more agile platforms

The main drawback of current 105mm soft recoil systems is their shorter range (around 10 miles) compared to larger 155mm artillery. However, ongoing development may help to close this gap.

Increasing Artillery Production

In addition to developing new technologies, the US is also focused on dramatically increasing its artillery munition production capacity. The recent $95 billion foreign aid package included $3 billion specifically for expanding artillery shell manufacturing.

General James Mingus, Deputy Joint Chief of Staff for the Army, provided insight into this ramp-up:

• Pre-2022: US and Marine Corps jointly produced about 14,000 rounds per month
• Current production: 30,000 rounds per month
• 2025 goal: 100,000 rounds per month

This massive increase in production aims to match or exceed Russia's estimated annual production of 1.15 million 152mm shells.

International Artillery Cooperation

The final piece of the US Army's artillery modernization effort involves improved coordination with allied forces. The Artillery Systems Cooperation Activities (ASCA) program facilitates interoperability between NATO artillery units.

Participating nations include:

• Denmark
• France
• Germany
• Italy
• Norway
• Turkey
• United Kingdom
• Netherlands
• Spain (joining soon)

ASCA allows artillery units from different countries to seamlessly coordinate fire missions. For example, a German forward observer could call in a fire mission to a French fire direction center, which could then task a US artillery battery to execute the mission.

This level of integration greatly enhances the flexibility and responsiveness of allied artillery assets on the battlefield.

Conclusion

The US Army's push to modernize its artillery capabilities represents a significant shift in military priorities. Driven by lessons learned from recent conflicts, particularly in Ukraine, this modernization effort encompasses:

1. Development of more mobile, wheeled artillery platforms
2. Advanced munitions with extended range and precision
3. Integration of automation and robotics
4. Adoption of soft recoil technologies
5. Massive increases in production capacity
6. Enhanced international cooperation

By addressing the shortcomings identified in the tactical fire study, the US Army aims to reestablish artillery as a dominant force on the modern battlefield. The coming years will likely see rapid advancements in artillery technology and doctrine as these modernization efforts come to fruition.

As military strategists have long recognized, artillery remains a critical component of combined arms warfare. By investing in these next-generation systems and technologies, the US Army is ensuring that its "King of Battle" will continue to reign supreme in future conflicts.

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