The U.S. Army officially confirmed that it will designate the newest 155mm self-propelled howitzer (SPH) as M1299.

According to new data from the U.S. Army, a new artillery system developing under the Extended Range Cannon Artillery program will be called the M1299 and the prototype designate as XM1299.

The U.S. Army’s extended-range artillery system designed to increase the range and rate of fire on current and future M109A7 self-propelled howitzers. Compared to its predecessors, a new artillery system will receive two leading-edge technology – new XM1113 rocket-boosted shell and a longer howitzer 58 caliber cannon increases range from 38km to 70km+.

In addition, M1299 will have a fully automated ammunition loading system increases rate of fire from 3 rpm to 10 rpm and a communications system that will work in GPS-denied environments.

The U.S. Army aspires to field systems capable of accurately firing at targets 100 kilometers away in the next four years, a dramatic increase over the 30 kilometers a currently-fielded 155mm howitzer shell is capable of when fired at the top zone with rocket assistance.

Building on mobility upgrades, M1299 will increase the lethality of self-propelled howitzers. New SPH provides a “10x” capability through a combination of an increased range, increased rate of fire, increased lethality, increased reliability and greater survivability.

M1299 will provide integrated cannon artillery technology solutions to maximize performance at a system level and regain lethality overmatch for U.S. Army 155mm indirect fire systems for operations in emerging battlespaces and near/peer environments.