Hattiesburg's BAE Systems announced Monday it has received an order for 93 M777 howitzers - military artillery that is currently used in combat in Afghanistan. Benson St. Louis, general manager of the Hattiesburg facility, said workers will start on the order in 2012.

The Hattiesburg facility has 80 employees and has been open since 2003.

"This order is a plus for us and it's our continued contribution to the community," St. Louis said.

To date, the company has received orders for 955 systems and the overall program value to around $1.8 billion, according to a prepared release.

St. Louis said he didn't know the cost of this contract. To date, BAE Hattiesburg has delivered 698 guns.

The U.S. is buying 58 guns for the Army and Marine Corps while Australia is acquiring 35 through the U.S. Foreign Military Sales(FMS) program. The order makes Australia the third customer for the system after the U.S. and Canada.

BAE Systems also recently agreed to provide an $18 million support package for M777 directly with Canada, which is procuring 37 guns via FMS. The contract covers the supply of spares and engineering support.

The M777 is the first artillery weapon to make widespread use of titanium and aluminum alloys, resulting in a howitzer which is half the weight of conventional 155mm systems.

"With the team's support and continued drive for success, we will soon exceed total orders of 1,000 guns, a phenomenal achievement and one of which every employee should be very proud," said Ian McMillan, BAE Systems Artillery director.

The Hattiesburg facility is responsible for final integration and test of the weapon system. The prime contract management of the M777 program and manufacture and assembly of the complex titanium structures and associated recoil components are undertaken at Barrow-in-Furness in the United Kingdom.

"All the parts and castings and large component parts are put into the M777 and it's ready to shoot when it leaves Hattiesburg," St. Louis said.