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Been reading around lately on artillery - in the spirit of Mountie's suggestion of the 120mm mortar here, perhaps a discussion on the USMC's Expeditionary Fire Support System is worth the time. Here is the official USMC explanation on the system in the 2005 Concepts and Programs Guide.
Now, what got me thinking about this was a comment I saw on the thread about the M777 Lightweight 155mm howitzer.
Would the EFSS not fit this bill? The 120mm mortar seems to have an array of munitions being designed for it (as a gunner here said, the key to the future is in the round). The USMC program looks to develop both a towed version and a LAV-based version for a more mobile and protected variant.
The towed-version is intended as the artillery piece for the "vertical envelopment". It can be transported by a helicopter and would make the ideal Artillery support for Light Forces (while the 81mm should remain in the unit's hip-pocket).
There are already 120mm versions on the LAV-chassis. A matching system on a LAV would be ideal in support of our medium forces. Breach-loaded and supplied with a wide-array of ammunition, this system would meet the FIFC requirement noted above.
The 81mm would be kept for deployment with units while the 155mm howitzer is maintained (and hopefully expanded) as the gun of the Artillery - the 105mm would be retired. Of course, HIMARS is on the wishlist, but is at the bottom of things we need.
Here is some more info on the EFSS:
http://usmilitary.about.com/od/marineweapons/a/efss.htm
What do you gunners think?
Infanteer
Now, what got me thinking about this was a comment I saw on the thread about the M777 Lightweight 155mm howitzer.
STA Gunner said:Further, the FIFC has determined that a mounted capability is the future for indirect fire in Canada. The M777 is the exception, for operational reasons.
Would the EFSS not fit this bill? The 120mm mortar seems to have an array of munitions being designed for it (as a gunner here said, the key to the future is in the round). The USMC program looks to develop both a towed version and a LAV-based version for a more mobile and protected variant.
The towed-version is intended as the artillery piece for the "vertical envelopment". It can be transported by a helicopter and would make the ideal Artillery support for Light Forces (while the 81mm should remain in the unit's hip-pocket).
There are already 120mm versions on the LAV-chassis. A matching system on a LAV would be ideal in support of our medium forces. Breach-loaded and supplied with a wide-array of ammunition, this system would meet the FIFC requirement noted above.
The 81mm would be kept for deployment with units while the 155mm howitzer is maintained (and hopefully expanded) as the gun of the Artillery - the 105mm would be retired. Of course, HIMARS is on the wishlist, but is at the bottom of things we need.
Here is some more info on the EFSS:
http://usmilitary.about.com/od/marineweapons/a/efss.htm
What do you gunners think?
Infanteer