Revival of Production of American M777 Howitzers in the UK

In the United Kingdom, BAE Systems has secured a contract with the U.S. Army for the production of M777 howitzers, as demand has surged following their active use by the Armed Forces of Ukraine against Russian aggression. BAE Systems representatives announced this in a press release.

The previous $50 million contract involves the manufacturing of titanium structures for M777 artillery installations, with the first batch expected to be ready by 2025. In the initial phase, the British manufacturer will also resume production of components for howitzer repairs.

BAE emphasizes that restarting production lines will lead to new orders for M777 howitzers from other countries, with interest coming from buyers in Europe, Asia, and both Americas.

Currently, the company is collaborating with British and American suppliers to restore production, but the final decision on the production location has not been made yet. Previously, M777 parts and components were predominantly manufactured in the United Kingdom, with the assembly taking place in the United States.

The 155mm M777 howitzer, first used in combat in Afghanistan almost two decades ago, has the capability to strike targets at a distance of up to 30 kilometres. BAE asserts that it is lighter compared to many other similar towed howitzers, allowing for active use and manoeuvrability in combat situations.

Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the U.S., Canada, and Australia have supplied 170 M777 howitzers to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Ukrainian military personnel highly appreciate them for their reliability and ease of repair.

Recently, The Gaze reported that the production of missiles for the Patriot anti-aircraft missile system will commence in Europe. The assembly of these missiles will take place in the southern part of Germany at a specialized facility where technical maintenance of Patriot missiles is already carried out, and a dedicated production line for new missiles is being established. This initiative is undertaken on behalf of the NATO procurement agency representing a coalition of several European countries, including the Netherlands, Romania, Germany, and Spain.

In total, the plan is to manufacture 1,000 missiles for the Patriot SAM system. The responsibility for production lies with a consortium, including the largest European manufacturer, MBDA, and the American company Raytheon.