The UK has resumed production of the M777 howitzer after defense company BAE Systems opened a new factory in Sheffield for the production of artillery barrels. About this reported Ministry of Defense of Great Britain.
The £25 million ($33 million) venture will specialize in the production of artillery, including the M777 howitzer, with the possibility of further expansion of production capacity. Sheffield will be the center of production of these howitzers in Great Britain. Full production is planned for late 2025, which will create 200 new jobs and support more than 60 companies in the supply chain across the country.
The M777 155-mm field howitzer was developed in the early 1980s by Vickers, which later became part of BAE Systems. The main weight of the howitzer falls on two key components – the cradle and the barrel of the gun. The vast majority of M777 howitzers produced are in service with the US Army and US Marine Corps.
The M777 is known for its lightness due to the use of titanium elements and the ability to quickly deploy. It effectively proved itself during combat operations in Afghanistan, Iraq and Ukraine. Plans to resume production of M777 howitzers in Great Britain were announced as early as January 2024, which was explained by the war in Ukraine and the increase in demand for artillery weapons.
