DavidSling
SENIOR MEMBER
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2013
- Messages
- 4,826
- Reaction score
- 0
- Country
- Location
As reported by YnetNews, the IDF will purchase the howitzers in multiple batches, the 100 first units of which are going to be wheeled, and perhaps semi-automatically loaded, although the wording is tricky on the last part.
The new howitzer will be built in an initial batch of 100 vehicles and will be based on a wheeled chassis. Follow-on howitzers may be based on tracked vehicles.
Now, I don't quite remember the exact numbers, but if I'm not wrong, there are, in the IDF:
4 artillery brigades - 2 active, 2 reserve.
Each brigade consists of 4 battalion of howitzers each.
The 2 active brigades are both split with 2 active battalions and 2 reserve battalions in each of them.
This puts us at 4 active battalions, and 12 reserve battalions.
So there are:
Active - 72 howitzers.
Reserve - 216 howitzers.
Each howitzer will be manned by a yet undetermined number of crewmen ranging from 3 to 5, and an overall reduction of 25% to 40% is envisioned, though yet unclear whether it refers to manpower, vehicles, or both.
My assumption is that each vehicle will be manned by 3 men, while another 2 (for a total of 5) will be in the ammo carrier vehicle. This is because it's normal to say the M109 has a crew of 9 to 11 (9 in the vehicle, and 2 in the resupply vehicle).
It is assumed that the typical battalion will reduce to 12 vehicles from 18, so a batch of 100 vehicles will be enough to fully equip 8 battalions, which are 2 whole brigades. And another 4 vehicles will be left for testing and demonstrations.
And of course, it's likely the 2nd batch of 100 vehicles, which will complete the transition of the artillery corps to a new howitzer, will be based on a tracked platform. If that will be the case, the wheeled platforms will be transferred to the reservists, and the tracked platforms will take their place in the active brigades.
This is a good move for 2 main reasons:
1)Tracked howitzers are only needed for maneuver combat. With a total of 192 howitzers (after the transition), hardly half will be required to maneuver anywhere. So it would be ideal if the reservists will have a system that will be easier and cheaper to maintain. A wheeled platform cuts down expenses tremendously.
2)Wheeled platforms are easier and faster to make, not only cheaper. So it would allow the IDF to re-equip its artillery forces before the M109 turn into rust buckets.
The decision to make them semi-automatic may be driven by the need to ramp up production to make up for lost time. The M109 had to be gone a long time ago, so even if the solution is not optimal, it's better than what there is now.
The 2nd batch would also likely be with an automatic loading system, as the 2nd batch would not be as urgent, and as was said earlier that Elbit will strive for the maximum level of automation.
Plus, along with the fact that the wheeled and semi automatic howitzers will be used by the reservists most of the time, there is no real loss of capability here. They could be used in places where a high volume of fire isn't exactly necessary, or stay behind just in case a multi-front war begins.
Ariel Zuk at 8:25 PM
http://armor-il.blogspot.co.il/2018/03/100-first-israeli-howitzers-to-be.html?m=1
The new howitzer will be built in an initial batch of 100 vehicles and will be based on a wheeled chassis. Follow-on howitzers may be based on tracked vehicles.
Now, I don't quite remember the exact numbers, but if I'm not wrong, there are, in the IDF:
4 artillery brigades - 2 active, 2 reserve.
Each brigade consists of 4 battalion of howitzers each.
The 2 active brigades are both split with 2 active battalions and 2 reserve battalions in each of them.
This puts us at 4 active battalions, and 12 reserve battalions.
So there are:
Active - 72 howitzers.
Reserve - 216 howitzers.
Each howitzer will be manned by a yet undetermined number of crewmen ranging from 3 to 5, and an overall reduction of 25% to 40% is envisioned, though yet unclear whether it refers to manpower, vehicles, or both.
My assumption is that each vehicle will be manned by 3 men, while another 2 (for a total of 5) will be in the ammo carrier vehicle. This is because it's normal to say the M109 has a crew of 9 to 11 (9 in the vehicle, and 2 in the resupply vehicle).
It is assumed that the typical battalion will reduce to 12 vehicles from 18, so a batch of 100 vehicles will be enough to fully equip 8 battalions, which are 2 whole brigades. And another 4 vehicles will be left for testing and demonstrations.
And of course, it's likely the 2nd batch of 100 vehicles, which will complete the transition of the artillery corps to a new howitzer, will be based on a tracked platform. If that will be the case, the wheeled platforms will be transferred to the reservists, and the tracked platforms will take their place in the active brigades.
This is a good move for 2 main reasons:
1)Tracked howitzers are only needed for maneuver combat. With a total of 192 howitzers (after the transition), hardly half will be required to maneuver anywhere. So it would be ideal if the reservists will have a system that will be easier and cheaper to maintain. A wheeled platform cuts down expenses tremendously.
2)Wheeled platforms are easier and faster to make, not only cheaper. So it would allow the IDF to re-equip its artillery forces before the M109 turn into rust buckets.
The decision to make them semi-automatic may be driven by the need to ramp up production to make up for lost time. The M109 had to be gone a long time ago, so even if the solution is not optimal, it's better than what there is now.
The 2nd batch would also likely be with an automatic loading system, as the 2nd batch would not be as urgent, and as was said earlier that Elbit will strive for the maximum level of automation.
Plus, along with the fact that the wheeled and semi automatic howitzers will be used by the reservists most of the time, there is no real loss of capability here. They could be used in places where a high volume of fire isn't exactly necessary, or stay behind just in case a multi-front war begins.
Ariel Zuk at 8:25 PM
http://armor-il.blogspot.co.il/2018/03/100-first-israeli-howitzers-to-be.html?m=1
