Summary and Key Points: The Prussian strategist Helmuth von Moltke famously said, "No plan survives contact with the enemy," which also applies to military weapons systems.

The U.S. Army's experimental 2-CT 105 mm Hawkeye Mobile Howitzer System, mounted on a Humvee, was secretly supplied to Ukrainian forces in April, even as it was still being tested.

This system features soft recoil technology, high mobility, and quick deployment, making it effective in artillery combat. The field testing in Ukraine, amidst the ongoing artillery-heavy conflict, provides valuable real-world data for the U.S. Army.

U.S. Army's Experimental Howitzer System Field-Tested in Ukraine

The Prussian military thinker and strategist Field Marshal Helmuth von Moltke is remembered for a quote that roughly translates to, "No plan survives contact with the enemy." 

It is not just the plan that needs to be considered, but also the weapon. Military platforms are often designed based on past battlefield experiences and future expectations. But until a system is used in combat, how the weapon might perform remains a mystery.

The U.S. military and its NATO allies have certainly seen how previously unproven systems have performed in the ongoing fighting in Ukraine. Such systems now include the U.S. Army's experimental light howitzer.

The Defence Blog first reported that the 2-CT 105 mm Hawkeye Mobile Howitzer System was secretly supplied to Ukrainian forces in April, even as the system was still undergoing testing with the U.S. Army. AM General, maker of the 105 mm self-propelled gun, disclosed last month that Kyiv was provided a "test article" of the platform.

"We recently put a 105 mm system into Ukraine. We shipped it in April and trained for two weeks," AM General Program Director Mike Evans said during an annual conference in Oklahoma devoted to the study of artillery platforms. "That system is destined to be one of the first soft recoil systems in combat. It's going into combat to test on live targets."

The field testing in Ukraine comes as the war continues to be largely an artillery slug match in some sectors. 

A Humvee With a Howitzer

Essentially, the 2-CT 105 mm Hawkeye is an M20 cannon mounted on a High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle chassis. The 2-CT Hawkeye is equipped with soft recoil technology (SRT), which allows for stable firing and high accuracy, while it can also fire the first shot just a minute and a half after stopping. It can fire a maximum of eight rounds per minute during the first three minutes, or a sustained rate of three rounds per minute, while it can be on the move in just three more minutes, allowing it to effectively serve as a counter-battery platform. 

The M20 gun can employ the full range of 105 mm ordnance. With standard rounds it is reported to have a range of 7.2 miles (11.6 km) and can reach targets at a distance of more than 12 miles with rocket-assisted projectiles.

 "The HUMVEE 2-CT (M1152 two-door cargo truck) that serves as the mobile platform, will come with a standard 14,100 lb. gross vehicle weight, 205 hp engine, and antilock braking system (ABS)," AM General explained in a May 2021 press release that announced the development of the SRT.

"Scalability is already being tested with a 155 mm prototype. The group is also exploring integration onto other existing and future combat systems," the company added.

Mobile Platform

Though the 105 mm howitzer lacks the range and hitting power of the 155 mm guns Kyiv's forces use, it could still support infantry beyond the range of enemy mortars. It is comparable to Russian self-propelled and towed 122 mm artillery systems.

Ukraine has not disclosed where the 2-CT 105 mm Hawkeye was deployed, but by all accounts its mobility, quick deployment, and hitting power were seen as a winning combination. Moreover, the U.S. Army now has actual battlefield data to consider as it continues to test the system.

Author Experience and Expertise: Peter Suciu 

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].