Artillery Systems - EMD

The mission of the Mobile Tactical Cannon (MTC) program is to acquire an improved, mature, and available self-propelled artillery system and associated Resupply Vehicle (RSV) to replace legacy artillery systems. These systems will enable artillery formations to shape the deep fight and dominate the close fight during Multi-Domain Operations. Collectively, the MTC and RSV will provide a decisive advantage by delivering massed lethal effects at extended ranges with increased rates of fire, enhanced mobility, reduced mission cycle and resupply times, and provide a high level of survivability on the modern battlefield. To respond to current and emerging threats, these systems will have margin for growth and be able to integrate current and future technologies, such as, but not limited to counter-small unmanned arial system capabilities, armament and mobility enhancements, human-machine and human-factors modifications, partial-to-fully automated ammunition handling, and partial-to-full autonomy for the MTC and RSV.

Project 516 is to modernize the field artillery to address obsolescence, improve performance and address emerging threats. The Self-Propelled Howitzer is an indirect fire weapon system with the ability of delivering accurate, long range, lethal and non-lethal cannon fires in support of both Combined Arms Maneuver (CAM) and Wide Area Security (WAS) operations. The Self-Propelled Howitzer and Ammunition Resupply Vehicle can be employed within any Brigade Combat Team formation to neutralize, suppress, or destroy enemy forces, while providing protected transport of a field artillery howitzer section on the modern battlefield. This effort will include system usage and optimization studies, simulations, development engineering, Line Replacement Unit (LRU) prototype development and procurement and validation for incremental upgrades of field artillery.

This project supports howitzer efforts required to achieve highly mobile, survivable, versatile, transportable, long range, lethal fires in support of the Army's Field Artillery modernization objectives. These critical development efforts provide an enhanced capability reducing emplacement and displacement times, increasing crew survivability and protection, providing greater mobility, and affords improved fire support capability for Field Artillery formations well beyond the capability of the current howitzer systems.

Project HB6 supports the mobile howitzer program. The Mobile Howitzer is a Self-Propelled, Wheeled Howitzer that provides lethal, proactive counter-fire essential for the survivability of the maneuver formations and other close support fires as required. The Mobile Howitzer improves the Field Artillery Battalion's ability to maintain pace with its supporting maneuver formations and survive against responsive, counter-fire from near-peer threats with rapid displacement and emplacement times. The mobile howitzer will improve tactical mobility and system survivability compared to existing towed howitzer systems. Development efforts, prototyping, system evaluations, and technology evaluations will focus on attributes such as improved emplacement and displacement times, driving speed, and crew protection capabilities, all without sacrificing lethality versus existing and future towed howitzer systems. Technology evaluations will leverage both 105mm and 155mm howitzers to understand benefits and limitations of potential enabling technologies.