Roem SIGMA 155 SPH
SIGMA is a 155mm/52 calibre self-propelled howitzer capable of automatic loading and laying of the gun system, rapid in-and-out action times and high rate of fire. It offers a protected cabin for a crew of three. Depending on the mission, SIGMA is capable of automatically selecting and loading the required projectile, propellant and fuze and laying the gun to optimally engage targets.
The Roem ("thunder" in Hebrew) cannon from Elbit Systems provides advanced artillery support, with automatic loading capability and a fire range of tens of kilometers. "Roem" is a 155 mm howitzer self-propelled howitzer that will replace the M109 howitzers of the Artillery Corps. Tomat "Roem" is a wheeled vehicle and therefore more mobile than the caterpillar M109. The fire range of "Roem" has a maximum range of 40 km, and it may reach up to 80 km. The front fighting compartment is armored and protected against mines. The Tomat can go from traveling mode to firing mode in 60 seconds, and its rate of fire is eight shells per minute.
"The Thunderer" is the first cannon in the world capable of automatic firing. The new cannon brings with it new and ground-breaking capabilities to the battlefield - significantly increases the rate of fire, allows firing at longer ranges than the existing cannon in use in the IDF today, enables independent and fast movement on roads and has high movement capabilities in the field. Another achievement recorded in the model is the speed with which three fighters and a driver from the 405th Battalion, expected to be the first to receive the cannon in the future, were trained. In just a week, the four learned how to fully operate the tool.
The loading is automatic, and the Tomat has the ability to fire shells with several types of charges in one volley at a target. The automatic system in the cannon optimizes its use, reduces the amount of soldiers required to operate it and allows the commander to plan and fire efficiently on a wider sector of the battlefield. Elbit Systems stated that the operating team of "Roem" consists of only three people (commander, driver mechanic, and gunner operator) while the M109 required seven men. Thanks to the reduction in manpower per vehicle, the remaining fighters will be able to man a greater number of vehicles, thus increasing the power of each fire company even more.
The caliber remained the same as that of most foreign counterparts - 155 mm (NATO standard). Export versions will use the barrel produced by the German company Rheinmetall AG. The gun will also be based on a slightly different platform (in Israel it is a 10x10 American Oshkosh Defence), although its structure will remain the same.
The groundbreaking cannon, developed by the security company Elbit, offers new capabilities to the fire brigades, and those that the other tools in the artillery arsenal already provide - the thunder multiplies many times. The most significant development in Roam is a fully automatic charging system. In the other weapons, the one responsible for loading shells and the rule of fire rate is a fighter whose role is claimed. But in the new tool, the role of the charger is not necessary at all. Instead, the ammunition is transported from the magazine to the barrel without any physical human involvement at all. The rate of fire of most cannons is a direct result of teamwork, but thanks to an automatic loading system, the cannon can continue to fire at a uniform and accurate rate.
The rate of fire of one Roem unit is comparable to that of two M109s. The actual rate of fire of M109 in combat is about 2 rounds per minute (vs. 4 rounds per minute according to the anufacturer). This is achieved by using a semi-automatic loading system. The MRSI (Multiple Rounds Simultaneous Impact) techniques is capable of firing multiple projectiles in a single shot, with each projectile fired simultaneously at different angles of the rifle's elevation. The demonstration range was up to 20kms, but the Roehm is capable of engaging targets at 40kms, nearly double the range of the M109.
The capacity of the cartridge is 40 shells, which can be fired at the command of the gunner or the commander of the gun, up to a rate of fire of eight shells per minute - four times that of the "Dohar", the previous gun, which on average fires two. In addition to the rate, the firing range of the thunderer reaches 40 km, almost double that of the current weapons. Unlike Dohar, which is mounted on a caterpillar, the new cannon moves on truck wheels. The change allows the thunderbolt to move more comfortably between fronts and long distances compared to the caterpillar, which also requires more and often more frequent maintenance.
By May 2023 the Israeli army was completing the acceptance of the new Roehm self-propelled artillery unit. Produced by Israel's Elbit Concern, the Roehm howitzer was considered one of the biggest projects of the Israeli defence industry by the Elbit Yabash division. Most of the components of this project are still considered secret. To date, a limited number of prototypes have been produced, one of which is intended for introduction to potential customers abroad. The presentation was made at an artillery range near the Shivta base (southern Israel).
The shots were fired with practical shells produced by Elbit, which mimicked the corresponding live ammunition of various types. The results were impressive: Roehm showed not only accuracy but also an enviable rate of fire - at least 8 rounds per minute, which far exceeds the rate of fire of the American M109.
Rheinmetall and Elbit Systems successfully conducted a live fire demonstration of an automated 155mm L52 wheeled self-propelled howitzer. The demonstration of the new system took place in early March 2023 at the Shivta firing range in southern Israel. It was attended by high-ranking officials of the armed forces of the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands and Hungary. Rheinmetall and Elbit Systems signed a cooperation agreement last year to develop, manufacture and market an automated European 155mm wheeled self-propelled howitzer system.
Led by Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH, the “Rheinmetall Elbit” team will compete for Germany’s “Future System, Indirect Fire, Medium-Range (ZukSysIndF)” programme, which will modernize and broaden the Bundeswehr’s artillery capabilities. The UK’s “Mobile Fires Platform” programme also remains a focus and additional potential customers, such as Hungary, have expressed interest. The cooperation between Rheinmetall and Elbit builds on the fully automated wheeled self-propelled howitzer procurement programmes that Elbit has signed with Israel and additional customers. As a result, a technically mature system is already available, enabling the integration of a Rheinmetall gun into the unmanned, fully robotic artillery turret of the Elbit system. The integration is currently in an advanced phase of the verification process. This will help reduce development risks and enable faster realization of operational readiness.
Intensive bilateral technology transfer is currently underway, increasing the availability of domestic know-how and components. Rheinmetall is currently carrying out modifications to customize the system to European operational requirements and the German regulatory approval process. Furthermore, the Düsseldorf-based tech enterprise brings its tried-and-tested 155mm L52 gun; high mobility HX 10×10 tactical truck with a well-protected cabin; and electronic components for the fire control unit and sensor suite to the solution.
The website Israel Defense revealed 16 July 2024 that Israel had begun using a deadly weapon in Gaza that aids in raids on wide-ranging areas. The IDF said that it was not yet the full use of the system, but rather a series of experiments that have also reached practical examination. However, the full operationalization of the system is only expected in about two years. Chief Artillery Officer, according to the report Brigadier General Yair Natans, said: "The importance of artillery fire on the battlefield is clear and proven. We have taken another significant step towards integrating 'Roam' into the capabilities of artillery fire as an aid to maneuvering forces, a close and deadly aid that eliminates many enemies and protects the fighters in the various arenas." It was also announced that "Roem" is part of the process of strengthening the artillery array, which also includes rockets, missiles and drones.
"In the next war we will be required to be lethal. We will achieve this by combining all the fire units and new technological capabilities that exist in the Hatam and the IDF," claimed the Chief Artillery Officer, Brigadier General Neri Horowitz, in his speech at the 'FIRETECH' conference that took place last year, "The Artillery Corps has a DNA of change, improvement and adjustment to the conditions of reality", and the Thunder affirms his claim.
On November 15, 2021 Elbit Systems Ltd. announced that it was awarded a contract valued at approximately $106 million to supply SIGMA fully automatic self-propelled howitzer gun systems to a country in Asia-Pacific. The contract will be fulfilled over a five-year period. Bezhalel (Butzi) Machlis, President and CEO of Elbit Systems, said: “The SIGMA system effectively addresses the growing need of armed forces to enhance the effectiveness of their artillery formations and reduce life-cycle costs while improving precision, rapidity, autonomy, survivability and connectivity. The SIGMA system is based on the know-how and experience accumulated by the Company over decades in supplying artillery systems to numerous customers, including the new 155mm fully automatic self-propelled howitzer gun systems for the Israel Defense Forces”.
Elbit America currently manufactures the Sigma 155 mm, its next-generation mobile howitzer, which is part of the Atmos family and is used while mounted on a 10 by 10 wheeled platform. The company is currently offering the Sigma to the U.S. Army as a replacement for the branch’s in-service M777 lightweight howitzer. In 2023, it opened a new 135,000 ft² (12,542 m²) facility in North Charleston, South Carolina. The site operates as the company’s ground-combat vehicle assembly and integration center of excellence. The new site supports assembly and integration for current and future programs of the US DoD and Department of Homeland Security as well as US partners and allies. Moreover, this facility also produces the Sigma mobile howitzer for the Israeli defense ministry.
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