The Army is considering options for the L118 105mm Light Gun, including extending it in service beyond its 2030 out-of-service date, defence minister Luke Pollard told MPs.
Ben Obese-Jecty, the Conservative MP for Huntingdon, asked whether the 2030 date remains extant. Pollard replied: “The current Out of Service Date of 2030 for the L118 105 mm Light Gun remains extant. The Army is considering options for the future of the capability, including its potential extension in service beyond 2030. No decision has yet been taken.”
The gun has been in British service since 1975 and equips 7th Parachute Regiment Royal Horse Artillery and 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery, whose roles require a weapon that can be lifted by helicopter or dropped by parachute. Pollard said in an answer reported last month that the Ministry of Defence has no current requirement to procure new 105mm barrels.
The L118 is a British-designed, towed 105mm howitzer with a combat weight of 1,858kg and a normal operating crew of six. It measures approximately 8.8 metres in length, 1.78 metres in width and 2.13 metres in height. The weapon has a maximum range of 17.2 kilometres when firing conventional high-explosive ammunition and a stated rate of fire of six to eight rounds per minute. Ammunition types include high-explosive, smoke, illumination and target-marking rounds.
The gun uses a separate-loading ammunition system in which the projectile and propellant cartridge are loaded individually. It can be transported by road using a towing vehicle or carried beneath a Chinook helicopter as an underslung load. British Army L118 guns are equipped with an Automatic Pointing System (APS), incorporating inertial navigation and a touchscreen interface for gun laying. According to the Army, the system allows the weapon to be brought into action within approximately 30 seconds of being unlimbered.
They had better extend it. There is no replacement on the horizon that I am aware of and the Airborne and Commandos can’t use the Boxer. Speaking of which, the Operational Deployment for that is “before 2030” with deliveries allegedly starting in 2028. Knowing how successful the MOD are at being on time, it would be really embarrassing for the entire Royal Artillery to consist of 12 Archer.
Who needs artillery, or a number of other areas that have let go to capability holiday due to complete lack of investment in the last few decades. Now all the costs are hitting at once and can’t be afforded.
Just hand them over to some reservist units and keep them running and then if there is a peer war they form part of the resilience reserve.. apparently there is about 125 of them.. that’s a lot fires in a just incase warehouse.
Right now, the 105mm makes up the majority of UKs artillery
L118 Light Gun (105mm): 126
Archer 155mm Wheeled Howitzer: 14
GMLRS / M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System: 26
Artillery or the lack of it, is a major issue for the army, made worse by the decision to abandon the boxer mortar modules. Its one of the few stables of military kit that hasn’t really changed much in 200 years and so there shouldn’t be an excuse for it not being well represented. Can buy the argument that the world and threats are rapidly changing in other areas but not artillery.
Also artillery has been used in every conflict the UK has been involved in, so can’t even argue it’s only useful for high end conflict.
Keep them.
Do they fire shells? Yes.
Do they kill the enemy? Yes.
Are they reliable and easy to maintain? No idea.
Are they easily underslung by heli for 16AA and the RM UKCF? Yes.
Is there better out there? Yes.
Is the money there? Maybe, maybe not, there was a program to replace them with 120mm Mortar, maybe it too is a victim of HM Treasury.
For me, other priorities, the Army Reserve also has Regiments of L118, they are useful.
Great idea, they have the horses already, modernization is for the weak