Testing new weaponry: Ukraine's combat trial of 2‑CT hawkeye
The war in Ukraine has become an ideal testing ground for new weaponry by various arms companies worldwide. One interesting example is the ultralight 2-CT Hawkeye howitzer produced by AM General. It is currently undergoing combat tests in Ukraine. Here is what makes it unique.
Ukrainian soldiers have been testing the ultralight 2-CT Hawkeye howitzer from AM General since April 2024. It is unique because it is a 105 mm caliber howitzer adapted to be fired from the bed of a HMMWV tactical vehicle after deploying hydraulic supports. Below you can see the first picture of Ukrainians with the tested ultralight 2-CT Hawkeye howitzer.
Previously, in such a format, only mortars up to 120 mm caliber were available, not howitzers which offer greater rate of fire and effective range. In the case of AM General's solution, the range with the simplest shells is 11 kilometres, and for the variants with a rocket booster, it is 14 kilometres. By comparison, a 120 mm caliber mortar reaches a maximum range of 8 kilometres with conventional shells and slightly over 10 kilometres with rocket-assisted shells.
The 2-CT Hawkeye uses the M20 howitzer as its base, mounted on an innovative platform that reduces recoil by as much as 70 percent, which made it possible to place it on the HMMWV chassis, creating a system conceptually comparable to the French Caesar.
The war in Ukraine has shown that towed howitzers are easy targets to destroy, and the time spent at the firing position is crucial, especially when the enemy uses artillery radars and drones. Swift movement using the HMMWV with the 2-CT Hawkeye howitzer significantly increases the chances of avoiding counter-battery fire, for example, cluster munitions.
Simply put, the HMMWV with the 2-CT Hawkeye howitzer, operated by as few as two soldiers, should already be gone from the area by the time enemy shells or rockets arrive.
