The Hawkeye Soft Recoil Technology (SRT) 155mm Mobile Weapon System is an innovative system that re-purposes existing cannons, fire control equipment, basic issue items, and vehicles to deliver enhanced firing capabilities, mobility, and reduced crew vulnerability. The Hawkeye SRT 155mm utilizes and converts existing fielded towed howitzers and their prime movers into self-propelled howitzer weapon systems capable of rapidly emplacing, firing and displacing, thus creating a true “shoot and scoot” capability. By reusing fielded artillery, testing, maintenance, logistics, and training costs will all be reduced which results in a significant cost savings and overall low life cycle expenses.
The Hawkeye SRT 155mm incorporates a groundbreaking modular design. Due to its lightweight and smaller vehicle footprint it can be deployed by air, sea, truck and rail and is adaptable to multi-mission environments. It has been initially designed to use a 39 cal cannon and will be able to upgrade to a 52-58 cal cannon when available and is adaptable to international 155mm cannons of different caliber length. The hybrid soft recoil system greatly reduces the number of components compared to traditional towed cannon systems (250 vs. 2,500). The simplified design and operation reduces crew size, maintenance, and logistic support requirements. The Hawkeye SRT 155mm truly meets the worldwide need for a light and inexpensive, truck-mounted, large caliber fire support weapon.
The Hawkeye SRT 155mm, incorporating the hybrid soft recoil technology, brings to the warfighter increased mobility, survivability, and lethality, as well as reduced maintainability and manpower. Responsiveness, quick emplacement, and displacement are the key attributes that will give battlefield commanders the ability to engage and survive on a modern battlefield that now has near peer competitors fielding quick reaction counter battery capability and the use of UAVs for reconnaissance and targeting.