Lightweight Hawkeye 105-mm howitzer with low-impact technology
The Hawkeye light artillery system was presented to a wide audience for the first time at the annual exhibition of the Association of the US Army (AUSA) in October. In fact, it is a modern 105 mm howitzer with reduced recoil force. This gun was installed on the platform of the Mack military truck. The presented system has practically no competitors in terms of such indicators as tactical mobility, firepower, strategic deployability, command and control. Due to its low mass and reduced recoil, this tool can be installed on wheeled, tracked, water and even aviation platforms.
The novelty was presented by the American firm Mandus Group at the Mack Trucks stand, as the gun was mounted on the platform of the Mack military truck. The presented Hawkeye cannon is a lightweight, modular, high-performance 105-mm howitzer that is designed for installation on various types of combat platforms. Due to the use of new technologies in its creation, this howitzer is able to set new standards for modern light artillery.
Currently, Hawkeye can be an excellent alternative for such weapons as 120-mm mortars, 106-mm recoilless guns or standard 105-mm artillery systems, thanks to such an indicator as the cost of hitting the target with the first shot. Light howitzer absorbed innovative modular design. Due to the low recoil force and low mass, it can be installed on a wide range of military equipment, which means that such a system can be deployed on land, water and in the air in ways that were not available to the military.
In Hawkeye’s modular, lightweight and compact howitzer, the technology of reduced recoil (soft recoil) is implemented. This technology provides a reduction in load and allows the use of lighter materials that are 50% lighter than with standard recoil systems. Such a howitzer has a serious ergonomic advantage, while maintaining convenient access to the breech back of the gun at any pointing angles, which makes it easy to use the existing standard 105-mm NATO ammunition.
Digital automated control system and semi-fixed 105-mm ammunition make it possible to achieve fast loading and a minimum time before the first shot is fired. In addition, a light howitzer is located on a fairly light transport platform, which provides firing in all directions. The howitzer is much less demanding on the level of logistics, compared with traditional 105-mm guns, which is associated with the simplicity of its design, which also reduces the maintenance time and reduce the number of its calculation.
Technology
The howitzer presented at the October exhibition in the USA is a modern revival of technology, which was already approved by the American army in the 70 of the last century, but it never went into mass production. The so-called reduced recoil is used to reduce the recoil force of the howitzer, due to the addition of counter-acceleration to the retractable parts of the gun before the direct ignition of the charge. With this technology, the recoil force can be reduced by 70%, which in turn leads to a reduction in the load on the carriage through the trunnions, allowing a significant reduction in the total weight of the howitzer.
At the very beginning of the cycle of low recoil, all of the recoiled parts of the gun are in the position in the middle of the barrel length. In this position, they are held under the pressure of a locked recuperator filled with nitrogen. At that moment, when the handle is lowered (a shot occurs), the recuperator's stopper is released and the mass of the rolling parts of the gun, including the barrel, begins its advance. A special sensor controls the speed and movement of these parts, and at the moment when it reaches a certain speed, charge ignites.
The recoil energy that occurs when fired, first stops and then causes the moving parts of the barrel and the sliding devices to move in the opposite direction. As a result, the recoil energy is reduced by 70%. The remainder of the energy is used to return the sliding devices and the barrel to its original position for the subsequent shot cycle.
At the same time, such a system has a sufficiently large number of problems that are associated with work safety. Initiation of charge should be accurately tied to the production of a shot and the speed of movement of the barrel. The installed speed sensor must be reliable and accurate. Even the interval in 40 ms between the response of the sensor and the ignition of the charge can lead to unacceptable distance spreading. In this case, if the charge is not initiated (in the event of a misfire), the rollback system should be able to stop the movement of the rolling devices and the barrel without dismounting from the firing position. And in the case of a protracted shot, when the shot occurs in the fully “deflated” position of the barrel, the recoil system must be able to cope with the full impact.
Hawkeye Lightweight 105-mm Howitzer
Mandus company with its new 105-mm light howitzer for a long time avoided promotion in the American market of similar tools, preferring to position its offspring in the niche 120-mm self-propelled mortars, which have firmly won their place in the international market. Typical samples of such mortars are manufactured by GDLS Stryker Mortar Carrier, International Golden Group Agrab, KADDB VM3.
Hawkeye howitzer, unlike mortars, offers great opportunities for the minimum and maximum firing range, combining the possibility of firing from closed positions at a distance of up to 11,5 km and the ability to fire at direct targets at close targets (the minimum range of howitzer firing is limited only by the distance required for cocking the projectile fuse). Among other things, the howitzer has a higher reaction rate due to the higher speed of the projectile. Of course, 105-mm projectiles contain less explosive than 120-mm mines, but with the use of modern thin-walled fragmentation ammunition, this disadvantage can be compensated. In comparison with conventional howitzers, Hawkeye has a higher rate of fire.
The Hawkeye Light Howitzer uses the standard 105-mm barrel M102 and the swing part M1371 with barrel length in 26,6 caliber, and according to the developer’s information, the barrel length can be increased by the customer. The estimated range of the M67 standard fragmentation ammunition is 11,5 km, and the M927 active-reactive ammunition with the same charge is 16,7 km.
Originally planned to install a howitzer on the chassis of the car Renault Sherpa 4x4, thereby creating the very light and highly mobile artillery system, designed for action on the battlefield. However, in the end, the designers stopped their choice on the Mack military truck. Estimated howitzer weight, including wheeled carriage and towing device, a swinging part, the drives are slightly less than a ton (998 kg). In addition, the company is developing a lightweight version of howitzers for use on aircraft "ganships". Such a howitzer has a front axle arrangement, does not have a carriage and can be installed on an onboard installation of the aircraft. The length of any howitzer variant is 3,3 meters, the width is 0,96 meters, and the height when towing behind a vehicle is 0,99 meters.
To control the fire Hawkeye can be equipped with both an optical sight and electronic, or a combination of them. The prototype presented at the exhibition is equipped with the Selex Galileo LINAPS artillery positioning system, which includes a built-in GPS receiver and the FIN3110 laser inertial gyroscope, which are also used on the L118 guns of the UK army. In addition to the simple shooting indicator used in LINAPS from closed positions, the light howitzer is equipped with a telescopic sight, which allows direct fire. This sight is equipped with a computerized aiming mark imposed by a ballistic computer.
In accordance with the implemented concept, the shutter is opened and the Hawkeye light howitzer is fully loaded in manual mode, but the developers are already considering the possibility of creating a fully automatic “digital” version, equipped with automatic drives and charging. At the same time, horizontal and vertical drives have digital control, which makes it possible to fully stabilize the gun on the platform - up to the possibility of firing in the process of movement. The company also states that if necessary, they can develop Hawkeye in caliber 155 mm. Moreover, even the characteristics of the system in its current state provide superiority over all existing self-propelled mortars.
At Mandus Group, they believe in the potential of their offspring and in the further possibilities of developing their system. The benefits of it can be even more fully realized when used with more powerful tools, primarily in ballistics. For example, with the L118 light gun, the barrel length of which is 37 caliber, and the maximum firing range is 17,2 km., Or with Denel LEO 105-mm / 57 howitzer with active-reactive ammunition can hit targets at a distance of 30 km.
The novelty was presented by the American firm Mandus Group at the Mack Trucks stand, as the gun was mounted on the platform of the Mack military truck. The presented Hawkeye cannon is a lightweight, modular, high-performance 105-mm howitzer that is designed for installation on various types of combat platforms. Due to the use of new technologies in its creation, this howitzer is able to set new standards for modern light artillery.
Currently, Hawkeye can be an excellent alternative for such weapons as 120-mm mortars, 106-mm recoilless guns or standard 105-mm artillery systems, thanks to such an indicator as the cost of hitting the target with the first shot. Light howitzer absorbed innovative modular design. Due to the low recoil force and low mass, it can be installed on a wide range of military equipment, which means that such a system can be deployed on land, water and in the air in ways that were not available to the military.
In Hawkeye’s modular, lightweight and compact howitzer, the technology of reduced recoil (soft recoil) is implemented. This technology provides a reduction in load and allows the use of lighter materials that are 50% lighter than with standard recoil systems. Such a howitzer has a serious ergonomic advantage, while maintaining convenient access to the breech back of the gun at any pointing angles, which makes it easy to use the existing standard 105-mm NATO ammunition.
Digital automated control system and semi-fixed 105-mm ammunition make it possible to achieve fast loading and a minimum time before the first shot is fired. In addition, a light howitzer is located on a fairly light transport platform, which provides firing in all directions. The howitzer is much less demanding on the level of logistics, compared with traditional 105-mm guns, which is associated with the simplicity of its design, which also reduces the maintenance time and reduce the number of its calculation.
Technology
The howitzer presented at the October exhibition in the USA is a modern revival of technology, which was already approved by the American army in the 70 of the last century, but it never went into mass production. The so-called reduced recoil is used to reduce the recoil force of the howitzer, due to the addition of counter-acceleration to the retractable parts of the gun before the direct ignition of the charge. With this technology, the recoil force can be reduced by 70%, which in turn leads to a reduction in the load on the carriage through the trunnions, allowing a significant reduction in the total weight of the howitzer.
At the very beginning of the cycle of low recoil, all of the recoiled parts of the gun are in the position in the middle of the barrel length. In this position, they are held under the pressure of a locked recuperator filled with nitrogen. At that moment, when the handle is lowered (a shot occurs), the recuperator's stopper is released and the mass of the rolling parts of the gun, including the barrel, begins its advance. A special sensor controls the speed and movement of these parts, and at the moment when it reaches a certain speed, charge ignites.
The recoil energy that occurs when fired, first stops and then causes the moving parts of the barrel and the sliding devices to move in the opposite direction. As a result, the recoil energy is reduced by 70%. The remainder of the energy is used to return the sliding devices and the barrel to its original position for the subsequent shot cycle.
At the same time, such a system has a sufficiently large number of problems that are associated with work safety. Initiation of charge should be accurately tied to the production of a shot and the speed of movement of the barrel. The installed speed sensor must be reliable and accurate. Even the interval in 40 ms between the response of the sensor and the ignition of the charge can lead to unacceptable distance spreading. In this case, if the charge is not initiated (in the event of a misfire), the rollback system should be able to stop the movement of the rolling devices and the barrel without dismounting from the firing position. And in the case of a protracted shot, when the shot occurs in the fully “deflated” position of the barrel, the recoil system must be able to cope with the full impact.
Hawkeye Lightweight 105-mm Howitzer
Mandus company with its new 105-mm light howitzer for a long time avoided promotion in the American market of similar tools, preferring to position its offspring in the niche 120-mm self-propelled mortars, which have firmly won their place in the international market. Typical samples of such mortars are manufactured by GDLS Stryker Mortar Carrier, International Golden Group Agrab, KADDB VM3.
Hawkeye howitzer, unlike mortars, offers great opportunities for the minimum and maximum firing range, combining the possibility of firing from closed positions at a distance of up to 11,5 km and the ability to fire at direct targets at close targets (the minimum range of howitzer firing is limited only by the distance required for cocking the projectile fuse). Among other things, the howitzer has a higher reaction rate due to the higher speed of the projectile. Of course, 105-mm projectiles contain less explosive than 120-mm mines, but with the use of modern thin-walled fragmentation ammunition, this disadvantage can be compensated. In comparison with conventional howitzers, Hawkeye has a higher rate of fire.
The Hawkeye Light Howitzer uses the standard 105-mm barrel M102 and the swing part M1371 with barrel length in 26,6 caliber, and according to the developer’s information, the barrel length can be increased by the customer. The estimated range of the M67 standard fragmentation ammunition is 11,5 km, and the M927 active-reactive ammunition with the same charge is 16,7 km.
Originally planned to install a howitzer on the chassis of the car Renault Sherpa 4x4, thereby creating the very light and highly mobile artillery system, designed for action on the battlefield. However, in the end, the designers stopped their choice on the Mack military truck. Estimated howitzer weight, including wheeled carriage and towing device, a swinging part, the drives are slightly less than a ton (998 kg). In addition, the company is developing a lightweight version of howitzers for use on aircraft "ganships". Such a howitzer has a front axle arrangement, does not have a carriage and can be installed on an onboard installation of the aircraft. The length of any howitzer variant is 3,3 meters, the width is 0,96 meters, and the height when towing behind a vehicle is 0,99 meters.
To control the fire Hawkeye can be equipped with both an optical sight and electronic, or a combination of them. The prototype presented at the exhibition is equipped with the Selex Galileo LINAPS artillery positioning system, which includes a built-in GPS receiver and the FIN3110 laser inertial gyroscope, which are also used on the L118 guns of the UK army. In addition to the simple shooting indicator used in LINAPS from closed positions, the light howitzer is equipped with a telescopic sight, which allows direct fire. This sight is equipped with a computerized aiming mark imposed by a ballistic computer.
In accordance with the implemented concept, the shutter is opened and the Hawkeye light howitzer is fully loaded in manual mode, but the developers are already considering the possibility of creating a fully automatic “digital” version, equipped with automatic drives and charging. At the same time, horizontal and vertical drives have digital control, which makes it possible to fully stabilize the gun on the platform - up to the possibility of firing in the process of movement. The company also states that if necessary, they can develop Hawkeye in caliber 155 mm. Moreover, even the characteristics of the system in its current state provide superiority over all existing self-propelled mortars.
At Mandus Group, they believe in the potential of their offspring and in the further possibilities of developing their system. The benefits of it can be even more fully realized when used with more powerful tools, primarily in ballistics. For example, with the L118 light gun, the barrel length of which is 37 caliber, and the maximum firing range is 17,2 km., Or with Denel LEO 105-mm / 57 howitzer with active-reactive ammunition can hit targets at a distance of 30 km.
Information