AM General Presents Upgraded 105mm Hawkeye Howitzer, First Generation Used by Ukraine

AM General will present a new generation of the Hawkeye 105mm Mobile Howitzer System (MHS) at the AUSA 2025 exhibition in Washington, DC.

European Security & Defence reported the development.

The key feature of the new version is the use of “soft-recoil” technology, which reduces recoil by up to 60% and allows a large-caliber gun to be mounted on a lightweight platform without sacrificing stability or accuracy.

The system was demonstrated with a standard M119 105mm gun, which the manufacturer says can deploy, fire, and reposition in under 90 seconds.

The company described the new Hawkeye MHS as a “significantly updated artillery platform that combines the advantages of light tactical vehicles with new solutions in design and power plant.”

The previous generation of the system has been tested in Ukraine since April 2024, where it was evaluated in combat conditions.

The first reports about the transfer of these mobile artillery systems to Ukraine were published in June 2024. At that time, AM General representative Mike Evans said the delivery had taken place in April.

First photos of the self-propelled guns in Ukrainian units surfaced in September 2024.

The Hawkeye light artillery system was developed by AM General and Mandus Group. It mounts a lightweight 105mm M20 howitzer on an M1152 HMMWV chassis. In 2021, AM General received a US Army contract to supply two of the lightweight 105mm howitzers for testing.

The 2-CT Hawkeye MHS offers high mobility and can be transported by fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, including underslung transport and parachute delivery.

The platform uses four hydraulic stabilizers. Traverse is 180° (360° if required); elevation ranges between −5° and +72°.

The crew consists of four people, but the system can be operated by two if necessary.