U.S. troops firing mortars from the new Lightweight 155-mm howitzer will aim their rounds with an optical fire-control unit built by Seiler Instrument & Manufacturing Co. in St. Louis.
Army leaders named Seiler to supply the components under a $5.7 million contract.
The U.S. Army will use the system to support light forces and the light cavalry regiment, replacing all of the M198 155-mm towed howitzers. The Marine Corps will replace all its cannon systems with the Lightweight 155, formerly known as the Advanced Towed Cannon System (ATCAS).
The LW 155, which is deployable to any region and can operate in most weather conditions, will provide close and deep fire support and interdiction fire. The system weighs 9,000 pounds-as light as practical without sacrificing range, accuracy, survivability, and reliability.
Work on the optical fire-control units will be in St. Louis and should be finished by July 2009. This was a sole-source contract awarded by the Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command at Picatinny Arsenal, N.J. For more information, see www.seilerinst.com.
