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Self-Propelled Artillery

The passing of the Crusader left many uncertainties in its wake. Many others,away from the US Army, were waiting to see how that project would emergeand how it would impinge on their own future developments and require-ments. In the meantime, self-propelled artillery equipment from past designgenerations will have to be retained, with no immediate prospect of any far-reaching changes in the immediate offing, other than a general trend towardsgreater mobility and less weight.

Eric H. Biass and Terry J. Gander

T he American self-propelled artillerycommunity was indeed plunged intoa state of uncertainty and semi-

uproar by the demise of the US Army'splanned XM2001/XM2002 Crusader 155 mm self-propelled artillery systemduring 2001. The US Army banked heav-ily on the Crusader as being the wayahead and had planned much to follow itsintroduction, but the Crusader was axed.It simply got too heavy and complicatedfor the type of operations for which theUS armed forces expect to be called uponin the years ahead. The circumstancesand deployment factors inherent in therecent campaign in Iraq merely empha-sised the fact that the anticipated battlescenarios of the Cold War period seemincreasingly unlikely to reoccur.The Cru-sader therefore had to go – and it did.

An indication of some possible futuretrends can be seen in one US programmecurrently underway, although it will bemany years before US Army gunners gettheir hands on any resultant practicalhardware. With the Crusader gone othertechnological avenues are beingexplored, the overall emphasis being on

less bulk and weight compared with whathas appeared before. It is a virtual cer-tainty that any future self-propelledartillery system will be based on the 155 mm calibre, most other existing cali-bres, with the possible exception of theformer Warsaw Pact Bloc 152 mm forlegacy reasons, becoming outmoded.

As one possible indication of what thefuture might bring, United Defense LP iscurrently constructing what is termed aConcept Technology Demonstrator(CTD) to determine the exact form theartillery component of the US Army'sFuture Combat Systems (FCS) will take.Although it is too early to make empiri-cal statements, it appears that the CTDwill be more compact and self-containedthan the Crusader, and it will have to belight and small enough to be air trans-portable in a C-130 transport aircraft.

The design intention of the CTD willhave a crew of just two, driver and gun-ner/commander, under armoured cover atthe front of the vehicle. This manpowersaving will be offset by a high degree ofon-platform automation, includingremotely controlled ammunition handlingand loading. The CTD will initially carryan externally located 155 mm M777 39-calibre ordnance, recoil and mounting, alltaken from the towed BAE Systems, RO

Defence equipment now in low rate pro-duction in the USA. It has been forecastthat future CTD enhancements willinclude some features of the 155 mm 56-calibre ordnance and mounting originallyintended for the Crusader. The ammuni-tion load is initially planned as 30 roundsand 102 modular charges, with resupplyback-up provided by trucks equipped withautomated handling equipment. Extend-ed range will be catered for by firing stan-dard enhanced range Nato projectiles,including the still developmental XM987Excalibur providing a range of over 40,000metres from a 39-calibre barrel. Someform of in-flight trajectory correction sys-tem will probably become involved.

Autoloading and 52 are the Trend

«It is a virtual certainty that any future self-

propelled artillery systemwill be based on the 155 mm calibre…»

Mechanically, the CTD will feature anewly designed chassis and hull, withpower provided by a diesel-electric drivesystem. Stabilisation during firing, whichis intended to include rapid fire at vary-ing angle of barrel elevation to provideseveral simultaneous impacts on a targetarea, will be assisted by two recoil spadespowered from the rear. The rate of burstfire is set initially at up to six rounds perminute, the in-service intention being tenrounds per minute.

It has to be stressed that the CTD is atechnical concept venture. Many innova-

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tions and modifications will inevitably beintroduced as testing continues, so theend product may emerge as very differ-ent from the brief outline provided here.It seems unlikely that US gunners will gettheir hands on fieldable CTD-basedhardware before the end of this decade,at the earliest, with a high degree ofprobability that it will be some years afterthen.That is, if the CTD programme doesnot undertake the same route as theunfortunate Crusader.

In the meantime, the US Army willhave to remain content with the 155 mmM109A6 Paladin for years to come.

WheelsUntil recently, most artillery systemsdepended on a relatively heavy trackedchassis to provide the degree of battle-field mobility demanded by full scalewarfare, as well as providing protectionfor the system and its crew. Mobility andprotection remain high on the require-ment list of any potential self-propelledartillery customer, but other considera-tions now intrude. What is going to beneeded more and more in the future isthe ability for artillery systems to becomemore flexible in their applications, plusthey are expected to be more effectiveonce in action.

The increasing need to transportartillery by air at short notice means thatin most cases it is not possible to rapidlydeliver many current self-propelled sys-tems by air or sea, especially within limit-ed time scales and in the quantities thatwill be needed. Yet any gunner officer

will want as many artillery assets at hisdisposable as can be provided.Therefore,the self-propelled artillery accent is nowon light weight and portability, ratherthan on the heavily armoured platformsthat populate many current gun parks.Asa result, something has to suffer for thesemobility assets. Crew and system protec-tion almost inevitably has to be reduced,but not totally ignored.

dismount to serve the gun-howitzer sothey become vulnerable once dismount-ed, but on the other hand, this is amplycompensated by the extreme speed atwhich the Caesar can be put into opera-tion and then removed.The Caesar carries18 ready-to-use rounds with another 72rounds carried on a matching Unimog-based 6 � 6 ammunition resupply vehicle.The combat weight of the Caesar is about17,700 kg, so it is relatively light and com-pact, sufficient for air transport of thecomplete ordnance and chassis in onepiece inside a C-130 type transport air-craft. To do this, a hatch is opened in theroof of the cab and the windscreen hingeddown over the bonnet, enabling the barrelto be fully lowered. The Caesar’s mobilityis not to be noticed only for the high agili-ty of its chassis and gun laying system butalso on its Fast-Hit command and posi-tioning system. Very briefly, the Fast-Hitcan be compared with a graphic e-maildevice that enables a commander to per-manently know the status and position ofall his guns and re-despatch them with

No System nomenclature

Ma Manufacturer

Ca Calibre of the system

Cc Crew complement

Lo Length of ordnance

Bl Length of barrel

Wt Weight in action

Me Max barrel elevation

Mt Max barrel traverse

Mr Max poss range

Pw Projectile weight

Table Key

No CaesarMa GiatCa 155 mmCc 6Lo 52 calibres Bl 8.06 metresWt 17,680 kgMe -3 to +66°Mt 34°Mr 39,000 metresPw 43.25 kg

No MobatMa RDMCa 105 mmCc 4Lo 33 calibres Bl 3.465 metresWt ca 10,000 kgMe -1 to +30°Mt 90°Mr 19,200 metresPw 14.30 kg

No LWSPHMa STKCa 155 mmCc 4Lo 39 calibres Bl 6.045 metresWt 7000 kgMe (est) 0 to +45°Mt (est) 45°Mr 30,000 metresPw 43.50 kg

No G6 (above: 52)

Ma DenelCa 155 mmCc 6Lo 45 or 52 calibresBl 6.97 /8.06 metresWt 47,000 kgMe -5 to +75°Mt 80°Mr 39.3 or 53.6 kmPw 45.3 kg

The instant of firing for a Giat 155 mm Caesar. (Giat)

An image of things to come – an artist's impression of a 52-calibre G5 ordnance on awheeled chassis – the Condor. (Denel)

Clamped securely into the high mobil-ity bracket comes the French Giat 155 mmCaesar, with a 52-calibre barrel mountedon a truck chassis. The latter is a Mer-cedes-Benz Unimog 2450 6 � 6 with anarmoured cab for the driver and crewwhen travelling. Part of the crew has to

new firing orders. The gun driver receivesthe information on his display and, onceon spot, positions the truck in the desiredposition. The system subsequently per-forms all the final bearing and elevationadjustments for each one of the firings.Malaysia, where the gun underwent

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extensive trials - including firings entirelyperformed by its own army - very nearlybought between a dozen and a score, butthe idea had to be shelved due to otherfinancial priorities. The French Army hasordered a batch of five Caesars forextended field trials (they will have beendelivered by the time these lines are pub-lished), but there is more in store: theFrench defence procurement agency hasindeed very recently issued a request foroffers from Giat for 72 units.

The Caesar has managed to find a newmarket spot at the right time, for truck-borne artillery is fast becoming a pre-ferred option. The Jordan Armed Forceshave recently ordered 18 Mobat (MobileArtillery) truck-mounted 105 mm how-itzers from the Dutch concern of RDMTechnology.The Mobat has been demon-strated mounted on a Daf 4 � 4 truckchassis, but it is not yet certain whichvehicle will be involved with the Jordan-ian order. The howitzer is an updated version of the venerable 105 mm M101howitzer, modernised by the installationof a new 33-calibre barrel and some mod-ifications to the top carriage. The longerbarrel provides a standard range of14,000 metres firing conventional 105mm projectiles, or 19,200 metres withenhanced range projectiles.

Singapore Technologies Kinetics(STK) has joined in the lightweight con-test with its innovative 155 mm Light-Weight Self-Propelled Howitzer(LWSPH). This 155 mm system has a 39-

calibre barrel, and the ordnance used inthe prototype was supplied by RODefence. The complete LWSPH really islightweight; for it currently weighs about7000 kg ready to move and it is expectedthat, following further development, thisnumber will be reduced even more. TheLWSPH can therefore be transported in aC-130 Hercules aircraft with relativeease, or carried slung under a CH-47 Chi-nook or CH-53 Super Stallion helicopter.The LWSPH travels on a 4 � 4 wheeledspace frame chassis at a maximum roadspeed of 80 km/h and has a range of

30,000 metres firing Extended RangeFull Bore Base Bleed (ERFB-BB) pro-jectiles of local manufacture. Rear-locat-ed recoil spades are deployed to assistplatform stabilisation during firing. TheLWSPH is still in the prototype stage buthas already aroused a great deal of inter-est, especially from Italy where Otobredahas announced that it is to join STK indeveloping a variant with a 155 mm 39-calibre barrel designed by Otobreda.

Beyond their ease of deployment andhigh versatility, truck-mounted howitzersalso offer the advantage of being road-legal to the extent that should need be,they can use motorways by drivingstraight through toll stations, as any othertruck would.The same applies when theyneed to refill at a petrol station.

There are several other wheeled self-propelled platforms in prospect. One,about which very little is known, comesfrom Yugoslavia (or perhaps Serbiawould be a better term). This involves a155 mm 52-calibre barrel mounted on therear of a Fap 2832 8 � 8 cargo truck chas-sis.This project is still in the prototype fir-ing trials stage.

Model of the Bofors Defence 155 mm FH-77BD. (TJG/Armada)

On a 29,000 kg footprint stands the ubiquitous M109A6 Paladin. (United Defense)

Another wheeled project, yet to appearin hardware form, is a light self-propelledversion of the normally towed Denel/Lyttleton Engineering Works' 155 mmG5-2000 howitzer, the 52-calibre versionof the well-established G5.This is the Con-dor, or T5-52, originally developed forpossible adoption by India and thereforebased on a Tatra 8 � 8 truck producedunder license by Beml in-country. The T5-52 employs the top carriage of the G5-2000 mounted on a flat, open platformwith deployable stabiliser legs to holdthings steady during firing. The T5-52 isstill in the pre-prototype stage so many ofits details have yet to be finalised. Firing155 mm ERFB-BB enhanced range pro-jectiles, such as those in the SomchemAssegai series, and using a modular pro-pellant charge system, the G5-2000/T5-52Condor can achieve ranges of more than40,000 metres. It has also been proposedthat the Denel 105 mm Light Experimen-

Maximum elevationfor the 52-calibrebarrel of the Denel155 mm G6-52.(Denel)

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e tal Ordnance (Leo) could be mounted ona light, wheeled, self-propelled truck-typechassis but that project remains some wayoff in the future.

More WheelsThe Lightweights are not the only self-propelled artillery equipments travellingon wheels. For nearly two decades therehas been the example of the South AfricanDenel/LIW 155 mm G6. The G6 seems tohave been involved in a seemingly con-stant state of detail development from thetime it first entered service back in 1988.Since then numerous innovations havebeen introduced to the vehicle and gunsystem to improve almost everything,from ballistic performance and possiblerate of fire to ergonomics and handling.The latest innovation is more drastic, sincethe adoption of a 155 mm 52-calibre bar-rel to match that used with the towed G5-

The standard G6 with a 45-calibre bar-rel, as in service in South Africa, hasremarkable cross-country agility, yetinvolves a combat weight of 47,000 kg,more than some tracked battle tanks. Italso has a very useful road range of 700 kmand can carry 45 projectiles plus their

programme is being extended by installingnew Deutz diesel engine packs. RDMTechnology of the Netherlands is offeringa 52-calibre M109 update package.

The G6 is not the only wheeled self-propelled artillery system in existence,for it was preceded as far back as the late1970s by the 152 mm Dana gun-howitzerfrom what was then Czechoslovakia.Since then the Dana, based around anarmoured Tatra 8 � 8 truck chassis, hasundergone significant development thatled to the longer barrelled 152 mmOndava (which did not pass the proto-type stage). Then came the 155 mmZuzana, firing either Nato standard pro-jectiles or 40,000-metre range ERFB-BBprojectiles manufactured in both Slova-kia and the Czech Republic.

The in-service 45-calibre Zuzana isnow the manufacturing responsibility ofZTS Dubnica nad Vahom of Slovakia,although various Czech concerns contin-ue to supply some elements of the sys-tem.Apart from being in service with Slo-vakia, the Zuzana has also been procuredin limited numbers by Greece (theZuzana 2000G) and Cyprus, and is nowthe only member of the original Danafamily still available for production.

It has been proposed that the Zuzanaturret and its associated componentscould be mounted on a T-72M1 tank chas-sis. Development of this variant is thoughtto be complete, although production hasyet to commence. Also available is anammunition carrier based around a chas-sis matching that of the Zuzana. It is antic-ipated that future Zuzana productionmodels will be powered by MAN diesels

No ZuzanaMa ZTSCa 155 mmCc 4Lo 52 calibres Bl 8.05 metresWt 26,600 kgMe -3.5 to +70°Mt 60°Mr 39,600 metresPw 45.30 kg

No FH-77BDMa BoforsCa 155 mmCc 6Lo 45 calibres Bl 6.97 metresWt 30,000 kgMe 0 to +70°Mt 60°Mr 39,000 metresPw 45.30 kg

No PzH 2000Ma KMW/RheinmetallCa 155 mmCc 5Lo 52 calibres Bl 8.06 metresWt 55,330 kgMe -3 to +65°Mt 360°Mr 39,600 metresPw 45.30 kg

No AS90Ma Royal OrdnanceCa 155 mmCc 5Lo 52 calibres Bl 8.06 metresWt 45,000 kgMe -5 to +70°Mt 360°Mr 39,600 metresPw 45.3 kg

No GCTMa GiatCa 155 mmCc 4Lo 40 calibres Bl 6.2 metresWt 38,000 kgMe - 4 to +66°Mt 360°Mr 29,000 metresPw 43.25 kg

Test firing of a 155 mm T6 turret on the Denel ranges. (Denel)

Fast becoming thestandard Europeanself-propelledhowitzer, the Krauss-Maffei WegmannPzH 2000. (KMW)

2000 and the fully automated autoloaderhave commanded a major redesign of theturret. This model is known as the G6-52and was featured at the Idex exhibition inMarch 2003. The turret, it is worthy ofnotice, also incorporates an assistedautoloader replenishment system. Usingthe Somchem rocket and BB assisted V-Lap (Velocity-enhanced Long-range Pro-jectile) this barrel can achieve ranges ofaround 53,600 metres. Even longer-rangeprojectiles are in the pipeline.

associated modular charges. It continuesto be a world leader in its class and hasachieved some measure of export successwith sales to Oman and the United ArabEmirates (UAE). The UAE is also usingthe G6 gun-laying and navigation integralfire control system as an enhancement tothe 47-calibre M109L47 155 mm gun,which increases sub-system commonalitythroughout self-propelled artillery assets.The guns came from Ruag Land Systemsof Switzerland, and the UAE M109L47

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rather than the current Tatra twelve-cylin-der diesel. The MAN diesel will bematched to an automatic transmission.

The Zuzana has also entered the 52-cal-ibre ordnance club. A test version is cur-rently undergoing firing trials with an eyeto future export sales. If the 52-calibreZuzana does enter production it mayinclude many other state-of-the-artenhancements. In addition to its usual fieldartillery functions the Zuzana has beenproposed as a coastal artillery system.

Sweden has entered the wheeled self-propelled artillery arena by mounting oneof its 155 mm products on Volvo articulat-ed 6 � 6 truck chassis with an armouredcab, a configuration already tested for the120 mm Karin coastal defence gun. The

tion conclusion, so the Bofors FH-77BD,along with several other candidates,awaits the final decision - the selectionprogramme has already lasted years.

The Bofors FH-77BD will weigh about30,000 kg.The Zuzana has a combat weightof around 28,600 kg while, as already men-tioned, the G6 weighs in at 47,000 kg.Therefore, none of these three wheeledself-propelled artillery equipments can beclassified as light, yet all three do provideprotection for the gun and crew.

New TracksWith the Crusader out of the way, two 155mm self-propelled systems dominate themarket, the German Panzerhaubitze 2000

to date, gained the larger share of themarket, and in the process has becomewhat must be regarded as the Europeanstandard self-propelled howitzer in itsclass in the same way that the Leopard 2has become the standard European bat-tle tank. The PzH 2000 has already beenordered by Germany (185), Greece (24),Italy (70) and the Netherlands (57), andmore European sales are in prospect –Sweden has tested two systems for a possible future coastal defence artillerysystem. The PzH 2000 must be regardedas a highly advanced artillery platformwith a 52-calibre barrel, an automatic orsemi-automatic loading system holding60 projectiles and 288 modular chargesand numerous other refinements such asan integral land navigation system. If nec-essary, the system can be moved andoperated by a team of three,although fiveis the normal complement. All manner of rapid fire sequences can be accom-

This example of a BAE Systems, RO Defence 155 mm AS90 still wears its original 39-calibre barrel. These are soon to be replaced by a 52-calibre component. (BAESystems, RO Defence)

Still going strongand one of thesystems to bemodified by theaddition of a 52-calibre barrel, theGiat GCT AUF1.(Armada/EHB)

The Iranian effort atjoining the big gunleague is illustratedhere with the 155 mm Raad-2,or Thunder 2. (DIO)

Frontal view of the Slovakian 155 mmZuzana based around a Tatra 8 � 8chassis. (Armada files)

original intention was to provide a greatermeasure of mobility to the SwedishArmy's Bofors 155 mm FH-77B towedhowitzers. Following evaluation trials withan FH-77A howitzer (which has a 38-cali-bre barrel combined with a non Nato stan-dard ammunition system) and a Volvochassis, attentions turned to the 39-calibreFH-77B, which does employ Nato com-patible ammunition.

The resultant Bofors Defence AB self-propelled project then became the FH-77BD, with a 45-calibre barrel and thelong-term prospect of a 52-calibre barrel,should production commence. BoforsDefence has turned its export attentionsto India, which already has the towed FH-77B in service in quantity (originally 410),so the 45-calibre FH-77BD has beenscheduled for trials as part of a long-termselection programme to re-equip a least aportion of Indian artillery batteries.As yetthe programme has not arrived at a selec-

plished, starting with three rounds inabout nine seconds as well as the abilityto place three or so rounds on targetsimultaneously by varying the barrel ele-vation between shots.

The PzH 2000 weighs around 55,330 kgwhen combat ready so it is almost asheavy as most battle tanks, but it featuresmany measures that ensure a good cross-country performance and high surviv-ability under the most arduous condi-tions. Power is provided by a 1000 hpMTU diesel.

Compared with the market inroadsmade by the PzH 2000, the sales record ofthe BAE Systems, RO Defence AS90 and

(PzH 2000) and the British AS90. Bothhave numerous competitors but those tworemain the chief contenders.

Of the two, the German Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) PzH 2000 has,

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its export version, the Braveheart, havebeen more modest. The main customer todate has been the British Army (179) whilePoland has adopted the turret and arma-ment suite for installation on a locallydeveloped chassis that will convert theAS90 to the Krab.A Desert AS90 has beenproposed for sales in hot/dry regions.

The AS90 started its service life with a39-calibre barrel, but a conversion pro-gramme has introduced a 52-calibre bar-rel with all the attendant range and otherballistic performance advantages.The on-board navigation, gun-laying and othersub-systems of the AS90 are no lessadvanced than those on the PzH 2000,allowing each individual vehicle to oper-ate autonomously should the need arise.All barrel-laying drives are electrical,providing rapid pointing.

Placing an artillery turret on an exist-ing tank chassis is a well-established prac-tice, one example being Giat placing aspecially developed 155 mm 40-calibreartillery turret on an AMX-30 tank chas-sis to form the GCT AUF1. Currentlysome 94 AUF1s are being retrofitted tothe new AUF1-TA standard, whichentails upgrading to a more powerful750-horsepower Renault E9 engine andthe installation of the Thales Atlas system(Automatisation de Tir et des Liaisonsl'Artillerie Sol- sol).

Giat has also been contracted by theFrench procurement agency DGA todevelop yet another improvement pack-age. Designated AUF2, the upgrade issomehow more drastic, as it involves acomplete redesign of the turret to incor-

porate both a 52-calibre barrel and anautoloader. Thus endowed, the AUF2 –the first prototype of which is due to rollout by the end of 2003 – will be able tospeed out rounds to a range of 42 kilo-metres at a rate of ten per minute. Theautoloader has a capacity of 42 rounds.Some 70 AUF2s are expected to be pro-cured. Like a number of the turretsdescribed here, the AUF2 can be droppedon perfectly suitable chassis belonging toobsolescent tank systems, the T-72 being,of course, the usual example.

The T-72 is involved with a SouthAfrican programme that comprises tak-ing what is basically a G6 155 mm 52-cal-ibre gun turret and placing it on a T-72 aspart of the already mentioned Indian re-equipment selection contest.The turret isknown as the T6, produced by LIW, aDenel division. One sales feature of theT6 is that when firing the Somchem V-Lap projectile ranges of around 53,600metres can be achieved. Despite exten-sive testing within India, no productiondecision has yet been announced.

Other relatively recent arrivals on theself-propelled artillery scene include theSouth Korean 155 mm K9 Thunder. Atfirst sight the K9 Thunder is based arounda modernised M109 but with a 52-calibrebarrel. The resemblance is not surprisingfor what is now Samsung Techwin,Defense Program Division licence pro-duced well over 1000 M109s for local pur-poses. It is in service with the Republic ofKorea Army (type classification was asrecent as 1998) and on order for the Turk-ish Land Forces Command.

While relatively new systems are beingmentioned,a new 52-calibre system with anM109 type configuration is soon to beannounced by Singapore TechnologiesKinetics. Watch this space.

VeteransThe term M109 has cropped up severaltimes in this survey. The first examples ofthe M109 entered US Army service as farback as 1961 and became available forexport from 1971 onwards. Since then theM109 has been progressively upgradedfrom a stubby 155 mm barrel up to the lat-est form, the M109 International exportversion, with a 52-calibre barrel. Numer-ous sub-system and component improve-ments have been introduced to match,including power packs, and over the yearsthe M109 has been licence produced orcopied in many forms. The only constantthroughout all these changes has been asteady increase in weight, from nearly25,000 kg for the original to 29,000 kg orso for the M109A6 Paladin.

The M109 series has been produced inthousands and it will remain the mostwidely used and numerically importantWestern Bloc self-propelled artillery sys-tem for many years to come. It will beencountered in many forms and sub-vari-

No K9 ThunderMa SamsungCa 155 mmCc 5Lo 52 calibres Bl 8.06 metresWt 43,300 kgMe -2.5 to +70°Mt 360°Mr 40,000 metresPw 45 kg

No M109A6 PaladinMa United DefenseCa 155 mmCc 4Lo 39 calibres Bl 6.045 metresWt 28.850 kgMe -3 to +75°Mt 360°Mr 30,000 metresPw 43.5 kg

No 2S19 MSTA-SMa UraltransmashCa 152 mmCc 5Lo 47 calibres Bl 7.14 metresWt 42,000 kgMe -4 to +68°Mt 360°Mr 28,900 metresPw 42.80 kg

No 2S5 Giatsint-SMa UraltransmashCa 152 mmCc 5Lo 49 calibres Bl 8.19 metresWt 28,200 kgMe -2 to +57°Mt 30°Mr 37,000 metresPw 34.00 kg

No Type 54-1Ma NorincoCa 1522 mmCc 7Lo 23 calibres Bl 2.80 metresWt 15,400 kgMe -2 to +57°Mt 45°Mr 11,800 metresPw n/a

A Russian 152 mm 2S19 at a defence exhibition in Russia. (Armada/YL)

The Denel G6-52 features anautoloader and the autoloaderreplenishment system seen here.(Armada/EHB)

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e ants – for instance, the Swiss ArmyM109A1Bs have been upgraded to carrythe 47-calibre barrels produced by Ruag.That update programme has been onlyone of many.

Designs that owe much to the M109include a 45-calibre offering from Norinco(the PLZ 45, 54 of which have been sold toKuwait), and the Japanese MitsubishiHeavy Industries Type 75 and Type 99.TheM109 chassis was also used as the basis foran Iranian 155 mm system, the 39-calibreRaad 2, also known as the Thunder 2, fromthe Iranian Defence Industries Organiza-tion (DIO), Armour Industries Group.

EastFor Egypt, United Defense LP modifiedan M109 turret and chassis to accommo-date a 122 mm D-30 ordnance to createthe SP 122. This prompts mention of self-propelled artillery from the former War-saw Pact nations where for many years thescene was dominated by two main sys-tems, the 122 mm 2S1 and the 152 mm 2S9,both purpose-designed systems datingfrom the early 1970s. These two veteransmay still be encountered almost anywherethroughout the world where Soviet mili-tary aid once extended but neither hasproved particularly amenable to muchupgrading in ballistic terms so both aregradually sinking into obsolescence.

Their place has been assumed by moremodern designs, typical of which is the 152 mm 2S19 (MSTA-S), a reversion to aturret-centred system carried by a tank

chassis and hull, in this case a combina-tion of T-72 and T-80 components. On the2S19, reloading the bulky turret withfresh rounds involves an ammunitionhandling chute through the rear wall. Upto 50 rounds can be carried for firing outto ranges of 24,700 metres, the loadincluding the option of the KBPKrasnopol laser-guided projectile (theseeker, designed by Lomo, guides theround to its laser-marked destination).Tomake the 2S19 more attractive to poten-tial Nato ammunition users, a 155 mmversion renamed the 2S19M has beenproposed (and tested in South Africa),

together with an elongated 52-calibrebarrel variant, the 2S19M1.

Also being actively marketed(although it is apparently out of seriesproduction) is a self-propelled gun, the152 mm 2S5. This is the self-propelledequivalent of the 152 mm 2S36 and has anidentical ballistic performance,deliveringenhanced range projectiles to up to37,000 metres. The only known non-CIScustomer is understood to be Finland.

Norinco continues to market what mustnow be one of the oldest (in design terms)of all current self-propelled equipments,the 122 mm Type 54-1 carrying the locally-manufactured version of the towed M-30howitzer on a Type 531 armoured person-nel carrier chassis. Although the Type 54-1would appear to be at best obsolescent itshould have great attraction to many lesswell-endowed nations who require a self-propelled artillery capability.

To extend its self-propelled artilleryofferings, Norinco also markets vehiclescarrying locally manufactured 122 mm D-30 howitzers and 130 mm M-46 guns.The latter is based on the sameturret/chassis combination as the 152 mmType 83, now no longer in production butessentially similar to the Russian 2S9 asboth hail from the same design genera-tion.The one thing all these Norinco offer-ings have in common is that none of themappear to have been exported in quantity.The 122 mm D-30 and 130 mm M-46 haveapparently found no takers while the onlyknown sales of the 122 mm Type 54/1involved a batch of 36 to Bolivia.

The Singapore Technologies LightWeight Self-Propelled Howitzer restson a purpose-developed spaceframechassis. (Armada/EHB)

T owed artillery will be with us for as farahead as can be forecast for severalother reasons other than just portabil-

ity. There is the cost factor; for, as a gener-al rule, towed artillery is less expensive inunit and maintenance terms than the morecomplex self-propelled platforms. It makesfewer demands on transport-related infra-structures, such as bridging, especiallywhen some self-propelled systems weigh

Towed Artillery –

Following the growing acceptance of self-propelled artillery from World War IIonwards, many pundits have been forecasting the demise of its towed brother.According to some accepted thinking, towed artillery is too exposed on the battlefield, takes too long to get in and out of action and relies on vulnerabletractor vehicles to move it any distance. All this may be true, but towed artilleryis still around for several reasons, not the least being that it can be transportedlong distances much more easily than its self-propelled counterparts, notablywhen rapid deployment and special forces are involved.

Range and Light Weight Is the Motto

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almost as much as battle tanks. In addition,there are some types of battlefield terrainwhere the deployment of self-propelledartillery would be well nigh impossible.Combat in mountainous areas presentsbut one example of this terrain factor,while for amphibious warfare towedartillery remains the norm. To round mat-ters off, many towed artillery systems arereadily air-portable, including swift movesby helicopters.

ExpectancyGunners expect much from the guns andhowitzers that they serve.Close to the topof their requirements list is, as always, asmuch range as can be achieved. Anotheris that the overall system weight be keptas light as possible for, in the last resort,towed artillery still has to rely on physicallabour to a considerable extent.There aremany other demands but range andweight tend to predominate. Towedartillery and ordnance design thereforehas to maintain a precarious balance.Pack in too much range potential in theform of long barrels and powerfulcharges and weight tends to rise alarm-ingly. Make the ordnance and carriagetoo light and they fail to withstand thehard rigours of warfare.

Towed artillery comes in many cali-bres, from 75 up to 155 mm, with artillery

calibres larger than 155 mm or less than105 mm now rather rare, such examplesbeing relics of a bygone era retained forsome special purpose or task that rarelyarises (or the user lacks the funds to

replace them). There are now three maincalibre brackets. One is 105 mm, the nextupward bracket being 122 and 130 mm,and then 152 or 155 mm.

105 mm remains widespread for thesimple reason it delivers a useful projectileto a reasonable range and it is well estab-lished within many gun parks throughoutthe world, many pieces still dating fromthe 1939 to 1945 time period. It is also rel-atively light. As has been indicated in

No M101/33Ma RDMCa 105 mmLo 33 calibres Bl 3.51 metresWt 2150 kgMe -6 to +70°Mt 46°Mr 19,500 metresPw 14.30 kg

No LG Mark IIMa GiatCa 105 mmLo 30 calibres Bl 3.15 metresWt 1520 kgMe -3 to +70°Mt 36°Mr 18.500 metresPw 13 kg

No Light GunMa Royal OrdnanceCa 105 mmLo 37 calibres Bl 3.88 metresWt 1860 kgMe 5.5 to +70°Mt 360°Mr 21,000 metresPw 16 kg

No LeoMa DenelCa 105 mmLo 57 calibres Bl 5.98 metresWt 3500 kgMe -5 to +75°Mt 40°Mr 30,000 metresPw 15.80 kg

No Model 56Ma OtobredaCa 105 mmLo 14 calibres Bl 1.47 metresWt 1290 kgMe -5 to +65°Mt 36°Mr 10,575 metresPw 14.97 kg

Bringing the Giat 105 mm LG1 Mark II light gun into action. (Giat)

The Denel/LIW 105 mm Light Experimental Ordnance (Leo) in the process of makingits presence felt. (Denel)

«…there are some types ofbattlefield terrain where

the deployment of self-propelled

artillery would be well nigh impossible.»

many campaigns where light forces havesto operate in difficult or remote areas (theFalkland Islands campaign of 1982 comesto mind), towed 105 mm artillery is the

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heaviest than can be deployed. It is thusheld by many of the more advancedarmed forces for just this special opera-tions role, while for many of the world'sarmed forces 105 mm is about as large asthey will ever need (or be able to afford).These two factors have loomed over thesales success of the British BAE Systems,RO Defence, 105 mm Light Gun.

The 122 and 130 mm calibres are nolonger favoured by artillery designers orusers.Most in-service designs in these cal-ibres date back several decades, with oneof the most frequently encountered for-mer Soviet design, the 122 mm D-30 how-itzer, dating back to 1938. There is alsothe 130 mm Field Gun M-46 dating fromthe early 1950s Soviet era and still inwidespread service the world over.

Nearly all design and operationalemphasis is now placed on the 152 and155 mm calibres for the main towedartillery component within field batter-ies. The East/West divide between 152and 155 seems likely to remain effectivefor some time, mainly for legacy reasons.However, there are indications (such asfrom the Czech Republic and Poland)that a limited changeover from EasternBloc 152 to Nato standard 155 mm hasbeen initiated. It seems highly unlikelythat a complete switch to 155 mm willever be made. Large-scale 152 mmammunition and barrel manufacturingfacilities remain in being while, for bothgunners and recipients, the on-target dif-ferences between 152 and 155 mm havebecome academic. Another switch to 155can be seen with the proposed enhancingof the 130 mm M-46 gun and M114 how-itzer to accommodate 155 mm barrels, ofwhich more later.

LightsOne of the most numerous items of towedartillery still in service must be the US 105mm Howitzer M101 - it is listed as being inservice with over 60 countries. Althoughsome production of this time-honouredpiece was undertaken as recently as 1983,the major proportion of those still arounddate from the 1940-1945 period so, sturdyand reliable as they may be, many must be

considered as coming to the end of theiruseful lives. This will not be marked by aprocess of direct replacement by moremodern designs, but one alternative is thenow commonly-encountered artillerypractise of installing longer barrels toincrease the range, plus altering the recoiland recuperator mechanisms to suit. Someof these updates,often supplied in kit formto keep the conversion work local, alsoinclude strengthening the carriage wherenecessary.

Rheinmetall DeTec was an earlyentrant into this field, for it converted allthe M101s held by the then West GermanBundeswehr to accommodate longer bar-rels that increased the maximum possiblerange (using standard projectiles) from11,270 to 14,100 metres. Before long oth-ers joined the M101 update market, Giat

The Otobreda 105 mm Pack Howitzer Model 56 has been around for what seems likeforever but is still going strong. (TJG/Armada)

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of France and RDM Technology of theNetherlands both achieving levels of salessuccess. For instance, RDM Technologysold its 33-calibre barrel conversion toCanada and Chile, both based around bar-rels developed by RO Defence. Giat soldits M101 modernisation package to thePhilippines and Thailand. In South Koreathe Kia Machine Company produced theKH 178, an M101 built from new but witha 34-calibre barrel and a maximum rangeof 14,700 metres.

The 105 mm modernisation market isstill open. It is known that Greece is inves-tigating the possibility of re-barrelling asmall batch of their M101 holdings for useby Marine units. The M101 remains a firmfavourite with many Marine forces,including the US Marine Corps.

Two other 105 mm pieces now domi-nate the market. RO Defence continuesto supply the 105 mm Light Gun and Giatoffers the LG1. Of the two, the Light Gunhas been the most successful, both numer-ically and in the number of user nations,but Giat has also made significant sales.Between 1990 and 1996 Giat sold the LG1to Belgium, Canada, Indonesia, Singa-pore and Thailand. Of these the largestnumber (37) went to Singapore. Thesewere the LG1 Mark 1 model, the laterMark II having a strengthened barrel toenable it to utilise more powerful propel-lant charges to obtain the maximum pos-sible range from a family of enhancedrange projectiles developed specificallyfor the LG1 by Giat. The family includes

a Base Bleed (BB) HE projectile with amaximum range of 17,500 metres, theunassisted HE projectile reaching out to15,000. The LG1 remains on offer, withsales in prospect.

Over 1000 British Light Guns are inservice with at least 17 countries,although a few of these obtained theirguns from previous owners while othershold only token numbers.The largest sin-gle user (427) is the US Army with overhalf of them licence manufactured inAmerica as the M119A1 (licence produc-tion has also been undertaken in Aus-tralia and Malaysia). The Light Gun hasbeen around since 1973 but, thanks to itsadvanced design and manufacturing fea-tures, shows little sign of flagging. Mid-life programmes have been proposed andthe latest forms of digital fire control sys-tems have been introduced. The IndianOrdnance Factory Board offer a LightGun clone known as the 105/37 LightField Gun E1.

The ammunition family specific to theLight Gun has been enhanced by severalconcerns, including RO Defence itself,Rheinmetall DeTec (which absorbedEurometall) and Expal of Spain.These BBenhanced range projectiles extend thepotential range from a very respectable17,200 metres to more than 21,000.

Future improvements to the Light Gunmight include developments from SouthAfrica based around the Denel G7 105 mm Light Experimental Ordnance, orLeo. At present the Leo remains a tech-

nology demonstrator intended, in simplebut rather extraordinary terms, to obtain a155 mm performance package from a 105 mm gun and carriage. At the heart ofthis venture is a combination of a 57-calibre barrel (including a rifled muzzlebrake) and Extended Range Full Bore(ERFB) projectile technology that pro-vides a range of 30,000 metres with BBprojectiles. The introduction of a proximi-ty fuze combined with an HE projectilehaving a liner of steel spheres results in alethal area coverage comparable to thatfor a 155 mm HE projectile. Should futureplans come to fruition the prototype willbe further developed into a lighter modelincorporating advanced steel alloys toreduce the current system weight of about3800 kg to approximately 2500.

The Leo remains a technology demon-strator, but it has attracted a great deal ofattention, especially from the US Armywhere a long-term replacement for theM119A1 Light Guns is under investigation.That programme will probably take yearsto germinate but in the meantime someaspects of the ammunition could no doubtbe incorporated into the British Light Gunmodernisation or replacement plans.

The Italian Otobreda 105 mm Model56 Pack Howitzer remains on a 'produc-tion as required' basis, and in service withnumerous armed forces. Being light and

No D-30Ma GUPZCa 122 mmLo 40 calibres Bl 4.87 metresWt 3150 kgMe -7 to +70°Mt 360°Mr 17,630 metresPw 21.76 kg

No M-30Ma CISCa 122 mmLo 23 calibres Bl 2.80 metresWt 2450 kgMe -3 to +63.5°Mt 49°Mr 11,800 metresPw 21.76 kg

No 2A36Ma CISCa 152 mmLo 49 calibres Bl 8.19 metresWt 9760 kgMe -2.5 to +57°Mt 50°Mr 27,000 metresPw 46 kg

No 2A65Ma CISCa 152 mmLo n/availableBl n/availableWt 7000 kgMe -3.5 to +70°Mt 54°Mr 24,000 metresPw 43.65 kg

No D-20Ma Petrov DesignCa 152 mmLo 34 calibres Bl 5.19 metresWt 5650 kgMe -5 to +63°Mt 58°Mr 17,140 metresPw 43.51 kg

A light gun for light forces, the BAESystems, RO Defence 105 mm LightGun. (BAE Systems, RO Defence)

A veteran dating from 1938 but still quite effective – the CIS 122 mm M-30, which isstill available from Norinco of China as the Type 54-1. (Armada/TJG)

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handy, the Model 56 is still widely respect-ed as a masterpiece of artillery design,now largely considered somewhat out-moded by delivering a range of only10,575 metres firing conventional projec-tiles. But that is the price that must be paidfor a howitzer that is light and portableenough to be carried in sections by packanimals, although it seems that few cus-tomers rely on such transport measures,other than in an emergency.

The former Eastern Bloc offers nodirect equivalent to the Nato area 105 mm pieces. Some venerable 76.2 mmZis-3 field equipment may still bearound, while the 76 mm mountain gunGP (M1966) was produced in relativelysmall numbers only. Romania hasattempted to market the Romarm 98 mmModel 93, another specialised mountainartillery pack howitzer, but to date thereappears to have been few takers, proba-bly due to its unique calibre.

MediumsThe main calibres within the medium cate-gory are 122 mm and 130 mm. Both remainthe remit of what were once the WarsawPact nations, and have what are now con-sidered Russian design origins.

For the 122 mm calibre, the main atten-tion must be given to the Howitzer D-30,or 2A18.When it first appeared during the1960s, the D-30 attracted a great deal ofinterest due mainly to the triple leg car-riage that permitted a full 360° traverseand the unusual method of towing by alunette at the muzzle brake. Many of the

and the former Yugoslavia. It is no longerin production within Russia. The D-30has managed to find its way into whatseems like every corner of the world andit is expected to be around at least fordecades to come.

Another Russian 122 mm howitzerlikely to be encountered almost anywhereis the more conventional M1938 (M-30).As its designation implies, the M1938 hasbeen around for a considerable time, yet itshows little sign of fading from the scene.Production within Russia ceased long agobut it is still available from Norinco as the122 mm Type 54-1. The M1938 has beenaltered little over the years, the last exam-ple off the production line being almostidentical to the first. It remains simple,sturdy and reliable and is able to fire thesame projectiles that were later carriedover to the D-30 ammunition suite(although with a different charge system),

features of the D-30, including the car-riage, were modifications of Germansideas scheduled for production in 1945,but considerably strengthened and modi-fied to meet Red Army requirements.

The D-30 manages to deliver a maxi-mum range of 15,300 metres (with a 21.76kg HE projectile), a remarkable perform-ance from a 122 mm howitzer that weighsjust over 3000 kg. Over the years the D-30 has proved to be extremely adapt-able, the latest 2A18M updated modelfeaturing modifications that allow it to betowed at higher speeds than before, plussome handling improvements. Specialenhanced range ammunition has beendeveloped for the D-30, including ERFBHE projectiles developed by Croatia toincrease the maximum range to 17,630metres. Croatia has manufacturing facili-ties for the D-30 and the type remains inproduction in China, Egypt, Iran, Iraq

The 52-calibre model of the Giat155 mm TR towed gun. (Giat) Q

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maximum range is 11,800 metres, andweight in action is 2450 kg.

The 122 mm gun component, asopposed to howitzers, is the Field Gun D-74 dating from the late 1940s anddeveloped as an alternative to the 130mm M-46. In the course of events the M-46 gained the most approval, but theD-74 was still manufactured in significantnumbers. It is no longer in Russian front-line service but was manufactured byNorinco as the Type 60 and was exportedto Cuba, Nigeria, Peru and a few othernations. The D-74 fires a 27.3 kg HE pro-jectile to 24,000 metres. The D-74 has thesame carriage and recoil system as the152 mm Howitzer D-20.

The 130 mm M-46 can probably boastthe strongest ordnance and carriage com-bination in artillery history. It seems thateverything relating to the M-46 is over-sized and heavy – the total system weightis about 7700 kg. This may be quite a bitfor a gun crew to conveniently moveabout yet the dividend is that a 33.24 kgprojectile can be hurled to a range of27,490 metres. By adding a BB unit, asaccomplished by the Iranian DefenceIndustries Organisation, the range can beincreased significantly to 37,000 metres.A 130 mm ERFB BB projectile market-ed by Norinco can reach 38,000 metres.Cargo projectiles have been developed

(Norinco again) while ammunition ismanufactured in at least twelve countries,from Finland (Patria Vammas) to SouthAfrica (Denel).

The M-46 itself was also produced inEgypt and is no longer in productionwithin Russia. Norinco offers a cloneknown as the Type 59.

ing 130 mm ordnance by a 45-calibre 155mm barrel with all the ammunition stan-dardisation and performance increasesentailed.The long defunct Space ResearchCorporation (SRC) of Dr Gerry Bull famewas an early exponent of this process, oneresult being the Norinco GM-45. At onetime the former Yugoslavia offered a sim-ilar update package while Soltam of Israelmanaged to interest the Indian Army withtheir similar upgrade (India has about 750M-46s in its armoury). It seems that Indi-an designers have now made their ownproduct marketed under the name ofMetamorphosis, seemingly reflecting localdesign work but no doubt based onimported knowledge.The Indian project isstill at the prototype stage; the intentionbeing that all Indian Army M-46s willbecome 155 mm one day. RDM Technolo-gy of the Netherlands also offers a 155 mmM-46 upgrade.

152 mmBefore considering the 155 mm calibre itwould be well to consider the 152.This haslong been a Soviet/Russian standard cali-bre, the towed pieces reflecting the accept-ed long and steady development pathwhere a previous carriage is used toaccommodate a new piece of ordnance. Adeparture from this practice was madewith the 152 mm Gun 2A36 intended to bethe replacement for the 130 mm M-46.Theproduction run of about 1500 units wasmodest compared to other local artilleryproduction totals, the Russian Army tak-ing 1200. The 2A36 is used by CIS associ-ated states but not in great numbers. Themost noticeable features of the 2A36remains the long 49-calibre barrel, the tworoad wheels each side to carry the weightof about 10,000 kg, and its ability to fire a43.5 kg projectile to 27,000 metres.When arocket-assisted projectile is involved therange increases to 40,000 metres.

More representative of current Russ-ian artillery trends is the 152 mm Gun-Howitzer 2A65. This is a completely con-ventional split-trail carriage design datingfrom the mid 1980s and firing an HE pro-jectile weighing 43.56 kg to a maximumrange of 24,700 metres. To date, the 2A65has not been exported, although it hasbeen marketed. The 2A65 weighs about

No GH N-45Ma T & TCa 155 mmLo 45 calibres Bl 7.05 metresWt 10,070 kg*Me -5 to +72°Mt 70°Mr 39,600 metres**Pw 46.50 kg

No G5/2000Ma DenelCa 155 mmLo 52 calibres Bl 8.06 metresWt 13,850 kgMe -3 to +75°Mt 65°Mr 52,500 metresPw 47.70 kg

No 155 TR/52Ma GiatCa 155 mmLo 52 calibres Bl 8.06 metresWt 11,000 kgMe -6 to +66°Mt 65°Mr 41,500 metresPw 43.50 kg

No FH2000Ma STKCa 155 mmLo 52 calibres Bl 8.06 metresWt 13,500 kgMe -3 to +70°Mt 60°Mr 40,000 metresPw 47.70 kg

No 155/52 APU SBTMa Santa BarbaraCa 155 mmLo 52 calibres Bl 8.15 metresWt 13,500 kgMe -3 to +72°Mt 80°Mr 41,000 metresPw 47.70 kg

A face-to-faceview of thelatest version ofSouth Africa’s155 mm G5 –the -2000.(Denel)

* 12,350 for A1 model with APU-equipped self-propelled** 50 km with Denel’s Assegai munitions

«Before considering the 155 mm calibre it would be

well to consider the 152.This has long been a

Soviet/Russian standardcalibre…»

This ammunition manufacturers' totalprovides only an indication of how wide-spread the issue of the M-46 remains. Ithas seen frequent action, sometimes withboth sides of a conflict, such as when Iranand Iraq hurled hate at each other duringtheir costly war of the late 1980s.

The inherent strength of the M-46 hasmeant that it is the subject of a majorupgrading process of replacing the exist-

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7000 kg when firing, considerably morethan the 152 mm 2A61 which weighs 4350kg. The 2A61 shares the same 360° tra-verse carriage as the 125 mm 2A45M anti-tank gun but as yet it seems to haveremained a prototype.

Not to be forgotten is the 152 mmGun-Howitzer D-20, manufactured inChina as the Type 66. During the late1940s, the D-20 designers relied heavilyon Great Patriotic War combat experi-ence, so it employs many well-testeddesign features, to which must be addedgreat strength. It has the same carriageand recoil system as the 122 mm Gun D-74, the relatively short muzzle-braked152 mm barrel delivering a 43.5 kg HEprojectile to 17,410 metres. The D-20serves quite a mixed variety of nations,from Vietnam to Algeria.

155 mmThe adoption of 155 mm in place of less-er calibres began in earnest during the1970s. The advantages of firing heavyprojectiles to greater ranges was madepossible by the introduction of the long39-calibre barrels of weapons such as theUS M198, the British/Franco/German/Italian FH-70, the French Giat 155 TR,the Spanish Santa Barbara SB 155/39(which never entered production) andthe Swedish Bofors FH-77B (the FH-77A involved non-Nato standard ammu-nition). At about the same time thealready-mentioned SRC, then headquar-

tered in Belgium, upset the apple cart byintroducing the 45-calibre barrel and thesuper-streamlined ERFB projectiles withan optional BB unit to enhance ranges bya significant factor. Ranges of 40,000metres became possible, far outstrippingthe 39-calibres' ERFB BB capability of30,000 metres, so before long others hadjoined the 45-calibre market to the extentthat 45 calibres became the acceptedstandard for field artillery. If that werenot enough, extending the barrel length alittle more to 52-calibres and introducingmore powerful charges, all manner of bal-listic possibilities became available.

In practical terms, the extension to 45calibres began with the Austrian GC 45,still marketed by T & T Technology andTrading as the GH N-45. This was a com-

mercial variant of the original SRCdesign, soon resulting in several other sim-ilar-looking systems, such as the NorincoType WA 021. What is now SingaporeTechnologies Kinetics came up with theFH-88. Soltam of Israel offered the optionof either 39- or 45-calibre barrels with theModel 839P and 845P howitzers whilewhat is now Patria Vammas offered 39- or45-calibre versions of the M-83.

Perhaps the most influential of the 45-calibre howitzers was (and still is) theSouth African Denel G5. The G5 wasmade far more robust and adaptable thanthe original SRC models, combininginput from both SRC itself and the SouthAfricans. In many ways the G5 is typicalof the 45-calibre howitzers in being largeand heavy enough to warrant an auxiliarypower unit to power the road wheels dur-ing short moves and creating hydraulicpower to open and close the split trail car-riage legs and for other services, such aslifting the recoil spades.

The G5 is also typical in being one ofthe first towed 155 mm artillery pieces tofeature a 52-calibre barrel. The G5 thenbecame the G5-2000. Firing the SomchemV-Lap (Velocity-enhanced Long-rangeProjectile) that manages to combine rock-et assistance with BB, ranges of 53,600metres or so can be achieved (at least42,000 metres from a 45-calibre barrel).The G5-2000 also introduces all-digital firecontrol and handing improvements.

Other candidates for the 52-calibre155 mm towed artillery market includeGiat with the 155 TR/52 Towed Gun (anupgrade of the 155 TR), STK with itsFH2000, the Santa Barbara Sistemas 155 mm 155/52 APU SBT howitzer andthe Finnish Patria Vammas 155 mm 155GH 52 APU. All these systems, and oth-ers still in the pipeline (such as a gun-howitzer supposedly under developmentin the former Yugoslavia), have basicallysimilar ballistic performances as they allfire Nato standard projectiles, and fea-ture the option of ERFB and ERFB BBto extend the maximum ranges.

52-calibre barrels do not feature withone of the largest recent artillery hap-penings, namely the US Army adoptionof the M777 Lightweight 155 mm towedhowitzer from RO Defence (originallyVickers Shipbuilding and Engineering).

No GH 52 APUMa VammasCa 155 mmLo 52 calibres Bl 8.06 metresWt 13,500 kgMe -5 to +70°Mt 70°Mr 41,300 metresPw 46.50 kg

No UFH/M777Ma Royal OrdnanceCa 155 mmLo 39 calibres Bl 6.09 metresWt 3745 kgMe -5 to +70°Mt 45°Mr 30,000 metresPw 43.50 kg

No M114/39Ma RDMCa 155 mmLo 39 calibres Bl 6.02 metresWt 7600 kgMe -2 to +63°Mt 49°Mr 32,400 metresPw 47.70 kg

The Denel LIW G5-52 has recently completed its initial trials at the Alkantpan firing testrange in South Africa. The new 52-calibre gun includes an electrically-driven chainrammer which loads both the projectile and the charge in the gun barrel, a projectilemagazine holding six projectiles in two layers and a small crane that transfers threeprojectiles at a time from a ground pile to the projectile magazine. (Denel)

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e The M777 is now in the low rate limitedproduction phase. The US Army andMarine Corps both decided to stick withthe same 39-calibre M284 ordnance asused with their well-established M198towed howitzer, considering that it deliv-ers all they require. Following a protract-ed selection process that lasted over adecade, it seems that the US requirementtotal is about 686. It is understood thatthe British Army has a requirement for70 units, which will probably be similar tothe M777, to act as their future Light-weight Mobile Artillery Weapon System(Limaws). Italy has also revealed aninterest in the programme.

understood that a similar process hasbeen carried out in Iran.The introductionof the longer barrel increases the M114'smaximum range from 14,600 to 18,100metres with the HE M107 projectile, andup to 32,400 with ERFB BB.

Smart AmmunitionAlthough the howitzer has hitherto beenperceived as an area weapon, two newtrends have been developing over thepast decade.The first one, which concernstrajectory-corrected munitions, was bornout of necessity, due to the increasedranges now afforded by the combinationof longer barrels, more effective propel-lants and assisted rounds (rocket or base-bleed). The heart of the trajectory-cor-rected munition generally lies in the fuze,which deploys an array of air or rocketbrakes. These are either triggered by aradio signal (itself aired out by a trackingradar) or by an on-board GPS receiver.Examples of such fuzes have been devel-oped by Bofors Defence, L3, Diehl orGiat to name but a few. In both cases, theidea is to fire the round to a range that isa tad further beyond that of the targetand then let the fuze brake the round andthereby accurately trim its trajectory.

Volume 27, No. 4, August/September 2003

ARMADA INTERNATIONALis published bimonthly in Zurich, Switzerland.Copyright 2003 by Internationale Armada Aktien-gesellschaft, Aeulestrasse 5, FL-9490 Vaduz,Principality of Liechtenstein

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Operating principle of the German Smart warhead developed by Giws – a consortiummade up of Diehl Munitionssysteme and Rheinmetall DeTec. (Giws)

The second trend is intended to turnhowitzers into anti-armour weapons. Twosystems have been developed in the west-ern world, one by Giws (the Smart) andthe other by Giat and Bofors (the Bonus).A third had been developed by AlliantTechSystems and Aerojet in the UnitedStates, but now abandoned. In fact,AlliantAmmunition Systems is now in charge ofmarketing the German Smart in the NewWorld. Both the Smart and the Bonusoperate on the same principle, underwhich a cargo round carries two smart sub-munitions. At a given height (not altitude)above the suspected target area, the cargoshell opens and the two submunitions areextracted. The latter then deploy asym-metrical airfoils (parachute for the Smartand metal winglets for the Bonus), whichnot only slows their descent but imparts aspinning motion. By thus ‘wobbling down’,their seekers (millimetric radar-cum-infrared for the Giws and dual-spectruminfrared for the Bonus) look at the groundalong a narrowing spiral pattern. As soonas an object that matches the pattern pro-duced by their algorithms is detected, theirexplosively forged projectile warheads aretriggered. Both the Smart and the Bonusare in production, and neither requires anymodification to fit the howitzers. a

«The heart of the trajectory-corrected munition

generally lies in the fuze,which deploys an array of

air or rocket brakes. »

The M777 was originally marketed asthe Vsel Ultra lightweight Field Howitzer(UFH). With the UFH/M777 the accent ison light weight, this to enable the com-plete system to be lifted by a UH-60 BlackHawk helicopter, the carriage, therefore,makes considerable use of light alloys anda careful stress-related design to keep thetotal weight down to 3745 kg. The ord-nance is mounted on what is essentially afiring table resting on four stabiliser legs,two of them pointing forward.

In addition to all these innovations,the venerable US 155 mm HowitzerM114 is the subject of a barrel lengthen-ing update process similar to that appliedto the 105 mm M101. By replacing theexisting 23-calibre barrel by 39-calibrecomponents and beefing up the carriagein a few places, it becomes possible toextend the service life of M114 veteransby a useful margin. Once again, much ofthe conversion can come in kit form forlocal incorporation. The list of concernsable to provide such conversions is head-ed by RDM, who has provided the meansto place 39-calibre barrels on M114/39sfor Denmark, the Netherlands and Nor-way. Soltam of Israel also offers a similarconversion, while Kia Metal Industriescan build its KH179, virtually a M114with a 39-calibre barrel, from new. It is

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