U.S. Army Sharpens Air-Mobile M119 Artillery Raids for High-Tempo Indo-Pacific Operations

Soldiers from the US Army's 25th Infantry Division conducted a live-fire air-mobile artillery drill at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, on September 10. A UH-60 helicopter sling-loaded an M119 105-millimeter howitzer into position, allowing its crew to establish the gun, fire and prepare to move rapidly. The approximately 4,700-pound weapon reaches about 14 kilometers with standard ammunition and up to 19.5 kilometers with rocket-assisted projectiles. The exercise demonstrated a useful option for dispersed Indo-Pacific operations, while also underscoring dependence on helicopter availability, ammunition supply and protection during insertion.