New Artillery Strategy for the United States?

New Artillery Strategy for the United States?

Debalina Ghoshal
Non Resident Research Fellow,
Council on International Policy, Canada.

The Ukrainian War is making the United States pay more focus to the relevance of artillery in battlefield. Amid the focus on precision strike weapon systems, there is also greater focus on improving conventional artillery. 

The United States Army is working on a new artillery strategy that according to Gen. James Rainey, “would determine both capability and capacity of what exists.” These would also include technological advancements too that could ensure firing at longer ranges and with greater credibility. 

Initially, Pentagon sought to acquire high caliber guns like 58-caliber gun and focused on an Extended Range Cannon Artillery (ERCA) to integrate into Paladin Integrated Management Howitzer but the ERCA program mired into hurdlesowing to budgetary constraints. Probably, this is the reason, in March 2024, there were reports that the United States decided to scrap such a program of acquiring a super howitzer. 

Despite the need for extended range artillery on the battlefield, the ERCA was scrapped owing to technological limitations. In 2022, the United States also scrapped the plan to develop a strategic long range cannon program. Long range strike capability remains a priority despite these hurdles as deterrence against China and Russia. 

There is also a dilemma on the relevance of towed artillery considering their mobility issues and whether there should be more efforts to develop wheeled howitzers following the lessons being learnt from the Ukrainian War. 

However, many believe that towed howitzers are equally important. Medium towed howitzers could negate limitations faced by towed howitzers and some experts also believe that future Mobile Howitzers would possess tactics, techniques and procedures that are visible in medium towed ones. Hence, there could be a focus on advancement in propellants to enable medium guns capable of shooting at longer ranges. There is a need for “better armored howitzer” that can hit targets up to ranges of 70kms despite the halt on ERCA. 

The United States has also witnessed the success of M777 Ultra Light Howitzers (ULH) supplied to Ukraine in the Ukrainian War. Hence, there could be focus on light weight howitzers for easy mobility. Considering that the M777 are 155mm, there could be a possibility that the United States would lay more stress on these 155mm guns. In 2024, the United States ordered to restart M777 howitzer production. 

However, the Ukrainian War has also highlighted the fall-outs of towed artillery in the light of future warfare that would require artillery systems to be on continuous move with “no displacement” time. The need for autonomous guns have been realised owing to the changing nature of warfare. 

It is not just important to possess credible weapon systems but also crucial to possess the ideal ammunition that would enable the weapon systems to work most efficiently. Focus would not only be on acquiring the right weapon system and ammunition but also maintaining the adequate stockpile required to progress during crises situations. 

In 2023, there were also reports that the Lockheed Martin was upgrading the US Army was upgrading its Multi Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS) to guided ones (M270A2) to enable them to fire Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) and Army’s future Precision Strike Missile (PrSM).

Whatever may be the choices for artillery, they would be dependent on the new firepower strategy that the United States is working on at the moment that would focus on achieving longer range capability. This new strategy would likely focus on improving the responsive capabilities of the artillery to enable them to strengthen their lethality in the battle-field. 

Application of the appropriate technology and models could become a fruitful venture for the United States. In 2023, according to reports, the US Army seeks to optimise its software designed to coordinate the use of mortars and missiles and hence, the Army is modernising the Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data System (AFATDS). This would provide automated support for planning, coordinating and conducting fires.

Robust software could enhance the credibility of indirect firing in the battlefield. For this, the United States aims to focus on multiple industrial partners for developing “agile” and “iterative” software. 

While the ideal choice of weapon systems would be the focus in the strategy, these weapons would need credible technological advancements to prove their mettle in battlefield.

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