"U.S. Army Experiments with Howitzers Mounted On Humvees" Topic

"New footage shows how the US Army is experimenting with ways to provide artillery support from Humvees by mounting new 105mm Hawkeye Howitzer cannons onto them.

The cannon is being tested on Humvee vehicles as a way to make the artillery units more mobile than when they are mounted onto a free chassis.

The videos first surfaced August 5. The 82nd Airborne troops shown were testing the latest Hawkeye Howitzer system, which was developed by Mandus Group, Business Insider reported Wednesday…."
Main page
link

Amicalement
Armand

I still picture those cars with the hydraulic suspension to make them jump when I see artillery mounted on a truck like that…

Bad idea, probably. In WWII they mounted 105mm howitzers on M3 half-tracks. The recoil was way too much for the chassis. If you build something like that nowadays you need to ensure that the resulting vehicle can last 30-40 years of use. Somehow I don't see a Hummer with 105mm lasting that long.

Without seeing any photos, I'd say the howitzer uses some sort of pneumatic/hydraulic system to move the mount so that the recoil energy is transmitted directly to the ground rather than the vehicle – it was done with some SP mortar carriers back to the 1940's, both systems where the fully assembled mortar just tipped off the back of the vehicle on a spring assisted gantry and some where the recoil plate was mounted under the vehicle and dropped down on a hydraulic system when the mortar was going to be fired.

With the size of 105 mounts and rounds I can also see the need for probably 3 vehicles – tube, crew and ammo each getting their own vehicle.

bsrlee---from the videos in the link, that looks like what it does. Also the HUmvee has stabilizing legs on each side.

(smile)

Amicalement
Armand

They'll start using it like a tank…

Seems rather a daft idea.

Multiple rocket launchers would seem to be far more practical

120mm mortar would be a better idea, too.