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For years, Israel has been working to deploy a new type of futuristic artillery that should help transform the IDF into a dominant artillery force. The new weapon, called the Roem, is a large gun mounted on the back of a wheeled vehicle, unlike current Israeli artillery, which consists of the M155 109mm tracked self-propelled howitzer.
The direct difference may not be obvious. The new self-propelled gun still fires rounds of the same caliber, but this is part of a larger investment in new technology in the IDF. This can be compared to the transition to F-35 fighter jets from older jet fighters.
In June, the IDF gave a preview of what the new system means for the military. A video and website article stated that IDF gunners fired the new gun for the first time. This is "the first gun in the world capable of automatic fire," the army said at the time.
Major Franz says that the ROEM project dates back a decade, when the IDF first had the idea of creating a new artillery installation, because all this time the well-known M2004 has been in service with the army since 109, which it has used for almost two decades.
The new Roem is developed by the Israeli company Elbit Systems.
"Led by the Ministry of Defense and defense equipment manufacturer Elbit, the new Israeli gun is already considered one of Israel's top security projects," Ynet noted last year. "Most of its internal components remain classified. There are only a few prototypes and one has been modified for potential foreign customers."
In this report, Ynet claims that the "European version" of the gun can fire up to 80 km. The Israeli version will probably have a shorter range.
The new weapon will be more maneuverable and have a higher rate of fire than the M109, so the overall size of the artillery installations may change slightly. The standard M109 battery, which normally consists of eight guns, can be reduced to 60% of the number of machines previously used. It will also free up crews for other things.
In May 2023, the Israeli company Elbit Systems published a video showing the mobility demonstration of the new ROEM howitzer and live firing tests.
The ROEM is based on a modified US Oshkosh 10×10 truck chassis. It has a crew of three, a crew cabin in the front and an automatic artillery weapon system mounted in the rear.
The ROEM is armed with a 155 mm/52 caliber gun, equipped with an automatic gun loading and aiming system with a fast reaction time and high rate of fire. The gun offers a protected cockpit for a crew of three. Depending on the mission, SIGMA is able to automatically select and load the required projectile, gunpowder and detonator, as well as guide the gun for optimal engagement of targets.
The wheeled system is more mobile than the tracked M109, with a longer firing range - up to 40 kilometers.
