M777

A lightweight, air-transportable 155 mm L/39 towed howitzer, fielded from 2005 by the US Marine Corps and now in service with a dozen nations including Ukraine.

Overview

The M777, known informally as the “Triple-Seven,” is a towed 155 mm artillery piece whose titanium and aluminium construction cuts weight to roughly half that of comparable legacy guns, allowing it to be underslung by medium-lift helicopters and air-dropped. First fielded by the US Marine Corps in 2005, it now equips the US, UK, Canada, Australia, India, Colombia, Saudi Arabia and Ukraine, with more than 1,250 examples produced. In the age of drone-cued counter-battery fire, the M777’s manual operation and towed footprint make it more vulnerable than self-propelled systems, yet its precision—delivered through GPS-guided M982 Excalibur rounds—keeps it relevant on modern battlefields.

Development

The M777 was developed as the Ultralightweight Field Howitzer (UFH) from an initial Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering (later BAE Systems) design in the United Kingdom, winning a US competition and entering production in 2004. According to Army Technology, the system’s extensive use of titanium in the trail and cradle saved around 3,175 kg compared to an all-steel equivalent — a feat that earned it a spot on the US Marine Corps’ short list. The first production guns were delivered in 2004 and the type achieved initial operational capability with the Marines in 2005. A $162 million contract to restart the US production line was signed with BAE Systems in April 2025 to supply M777A2 howitzers to the US Army and export customers, according to The Defense Post.

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