M777 Ultra-Lightweight 155mm Howitzer In Afghanistan

sAINT

http://shock.military.com/Shock/player.html?vid=628e81f76e4449c5ad0fa6f9bc4b2958

Our man who was just in Farnborough, Glenn Anderson, shot some great footage of BAE’s new ultra-lightweight howitzer that uses titanium on the trails to shave off some serious pounds. The M777 weighs about half what a typical 155mm howitzer weighs. Check out the BAE rep pick up the howitzer’s titanium trail with one hand.

Read more: http://defensetech.org/category/infantry-fight/#ixzz13PXl2g6O
Defense.org

All you ex artillerymen will enjoy this

acid_drop

spazz wrote: »

Titanium is deffinatly cool stuff. But most of it is softer then most steels, but much harder then aluminum.I wonder what the price difference is?

I thought titanium was stronger than steel? Or at least capacity for equal stress at a much lighter weight? I could be wrong though, I'm not a metallurgist.

Katzenklavier

Titanium is a hard, brittle metal; it cracks on impact. Carbon steel is a strong, flexible metal; it flexes when it's hit, rather than shattering. That's why it's always used in locks. "Titanium" locks are bullshit.

acid_drop

Katzenklavier wrote: »

Titanium is a hard, brittle metal; it cracks on impact. Carbon steel is a strong, flexible metal; it flexes when it's hit, rather than shattering. That's why it's always used in locks. "Titanium" locks are bullshit.

I thought titanium was used extensively in modern fighter jets? Granted, not rapid stress parts like gun barrels, but other stressors. Such as wing structure, turbine motors, etc. Something that is a more "gradual" in stress in comparison to the almost instantaneous stress of pressured powdered explosions.

Katzenklavier

Titanium alloy is used in the turbine blades, and other high stress parts in the engines. However things like wing mounts and other high stress areas are steel; it's better to have a joint bend than to have it shatter. The rest of the body is made of aircraft grade aluminum/magnesium alloy.