Israel has had one of the most advanced armed forces in the world for years. That is not a luxury, but pure necessity. The country lives permanently under threat from various enemies on several borders at once. Yet there was one notable exception in that modern military arsenal: the artillery. Until recently, the Israeli army still used the American M109, a system that has its origins in the Cold War.
That is now definitively changing. The first new SIGMA 155 howitzers are arriving at the Israeli Defence Forces, and with that the army is turning a new page. These systems are not only more modern, but also fundamentally change the way Israel uses artillery.
From tracks to speed on wheels
The old M109 was a tracked vehicle, heavy and robust, but also slow to set up and move. Seven soldiers were needed to operate it, and the system needed time to become operational after arriving at a firing position. In a modern war, in which speed and precision are ever more important, that became an ever greater disadvantage.
The SIGMA 155 takes a completely different approach. The system is on wheels, so it can move much faster over long distances. That is crucial for Israel, where threats can shift very quickly from north to south or from one border to another. What used to take hours can now be done in a short time.
Fully automatic and operated by three
Perhaps the biggest leap forward lies in automation. Where the M109 required a large crew, the SIGMA 155 is operated by just three soldiers. Loading, aiming and firing are largely automatic. The crew no longer has to lift shells by hand or adjust settings mechanically. You see this in more modern artillery, such as the German RCH 155
That has several advantages. Fewer people means less logistical burden, less risk to personnel and higher efficiency. At the same time, the howitzer can fire faster and leave faster, which considerably increases its chances of survival on the battlefield.
Image: Elbit Systems
Long range, high precision
The SIGMA 155 has a range of up to about 40 kilometres, depending on the type of ammunition used. This means targets deep behind enemy lines can be hit without the howitzer having to come close to the front line.
In combination with modern fire control systems and digital links with drones and sensors, the SIGMA 155 can quickly receive, calculate and engage targets. Artillery is thus no longer a slow supporting weapon, but a fast-reacting precision instrument.
Adapted to Israeli reality
What makes the introduction of the SIGMA 155 extra interesting is that the system is fully tailored to the Israeli way of warfare. Israel must simultaneously take into account threats from Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and beyond. That calls for artillery that is flexible, can be moved quickly and is immediately deployable.
The new howitzers fit perfectly into that picture. They are designed for rapid deployment, short firing sessions and immediate relocation afterwards. The classic image of artillery staying in one position for a long time is definitively disappearing. As with every Israeli vehicle, everything is adapted to the situation Israel finds itself in. You can see this, for example, in the Merkava tank and the Rampage missile, which are also designed for specific targets.
A quiet but far-reaching modernisation
The arrival of the SIGMA 155 may get less attention than fighter jets or missile defence systems, but the impact is great. Artillery is still the backbone of ground operations. By modernising that backbone, Israel increases its striking power in a way that is both visible and invisible.
With the outflow of the old M109 and the inflow of this new generation of howitzers, Israel shows that even seemingly traditional weapon systems move with the times. Faster, smarter and with fewer people. Exactly as modern warfare demands
