BAE Systems plans to restart production of М777 howitzers

 Arms manufacturer BAE Systems plans to restart production of 155mm М777 howitzers. According to Wall Street Journal sources, the company is considering restarting the production of М777 howitzers due to success in Ukraine.

According to the media, several countries are interested in purchasing М777 from BAE Systems.

The British arms manufacturer is negotiating to restart the production of howitzers with the U.S. Army.

Interest in М777 howitzers has increased after their successful use by Ukrainian artillery in recent months.

М777 allowed the Ukrainian military to use a wider range of projectiles, in particular GPS-guided projectiles.

The last contract for М777 howitzers BAE Systems received from India in 2017.

India’s military was to receive 145 specially modified М777А2 howitzers worth $542 million.

As part of the deal, BAE Systems is building the first 25 fully assembled M777 and the other 120 will be assembled in India by Mahindra Defense Systems Ltd.

After this contract, BAE Systems did not officially report any new М777 orders.

According to the BAE, if requests from potential M777 buyers, which include Central European countries, turn into actual orders, up to 500 new howitzers could be delivered.

The company estimates it will take 30 to 36 months to resume full M777 production, at least because the company needs a new titanium supplier.