U.S. Army experimental self-propelled gun spotted at Northern Strike 19

The newest U.S. Army’s 155mm self-propelled howitzer mounted on an FMTV was spotted at the National Guard Bureau-sponsored exercise Northern Strike 19.

The experimental 155mm self-propelled gun, called the Brutus, was displayed at Northern Strike 19 on Camp Grayling, Mich. 25 July.

Developed by a collaborative team from AM General and The Mandus Group, Brutus mounts the same cannon as the M777 to a hydro-pneumatic, soft Recoil system for mounting on FMTV (Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles truck). Howitzer is capable of using a wide range of ammunition for deployment against protected and unprotected targets, to create counter-mobility obstacles to block the manoeuvres of enemy armoured forces and to obscure or illuminate an area.

No further details on the howitzer have been released but noted that the U.S. Army interested in new, more mobile, lightweight artillery pieces.

It is expected that new mobile truck-mounted 155mm howitzer could replace the M119 and M777 towed howitzers currently at service of the U.S. Army and Marines.

Northern Strike 19 also saw the live-fire testing of the Hawkeye 105mm Mobile Weapon System another AM General/Mandus Group project, test-fired by the 2nd Battalion, 122 Field Artillery, Illinois Army National Guard during the exercise.