The M777 Portee was developed by BAE Systems as a private venture to meet a British Army requirement for LIMAWS (G) or Lightweight Mobile Artillery Weapon System – Gun program. The M777 Portee uses a revolutionary M777 155 mm/L39 lightweight field howitzer, adopted by the US Army, US Marine Corps, and a number of other countries. Maximum range of fire is 30 km with rocket-assisted projectile. This howitzer also fires Excalibur precision guided extended range projectiles with a maximum range of 40 km. Intense rate of fire is 5 rounds per minute, sustained rate is 2 rounds per minute. The advantage of such design is that the M777 Portee is more mobile than ordinary towed howitzers. Cab of the M777 Portee provides light armor protection and NBC protection for the crew. It accommodates the driver plus the gun crew of 5 men. The M777 Portee is based on a Supacat HMT 800 8×6 high mobility truck chassis. Vehicle can be carried by a C-130 transport aircraft. Also it can be carried underslung by two CH-47 Chinook helicopters.
