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FH 77 155 mm Field Howitzer System

M198 howitzer
Type towed howitzer
Place of origin United States
Service history
Used by U.S. Army, USMC, Australian Army, Royal Thai Army, Lebanese Army

Unit cost US$527,337

Specifications
Weight 7,154 kg (15,772 lb)
Length 11 m (36 ft 2 in) in firing position; 12.3 m (40 ft 6 in) in towing position
Width 2.8 m (9 ft 2 in) in towing position
Height 2.9 m (9 ft 6 in) in towing position
Crew 9 enlisted men
Caliber 155 mm
Rate of fire 4 round/min maximum; 2 round/min sustained
Maximum range 22,400 m (14 miles) with conventional ammo; 30,000 m (18.6 miles) with rocket propelled

The M198 howitzer is a medium-sized, towed artillery piece. It can be dropped by parachute or transported by a CH-53E Super Stallion or CH-47 Chinook. The M198 is deployed in separate corps- and army-level field artillery units, as well as in artillery battalions of light and airborne divisions. It also provides field artillery fire support for all Marine Air-Ground Task Force organizations. The M198 is being replaced by the BAE Systems Land Systems M777 ultra lightweight howitzer, with deliveries underway. The M198 is also used by the Australian Army.
An M198 howitzer firing at Camp Fallujah, Iraq in 2004
The M198 Howitzer during the Persian Gulf War

Capable munitions

High Explosive (HE) (M-107 NC/DC)
: Explosive Composition B material packed into a thick,internally-scored shell which causes a large blast and sends razor-sharp fragments at extreme velocities (5,000–6,000 meters per second). The kill zone is approximately a radius of 50 meters and casualty radius is 100 meters. The Marine Corps and US Army also uses the M795 High Explosive round.

Rocket Assisted Projectile: (RAP) A rocket-assisted HE (also known as H.E.R.A.) round that adds to the maximum range of the normal HE. For the 155mm RAP round, max range is 30.1km.


White Phosphorus (WP):
A base-ejecting projectile which can come in two versions: felt-wedge and standard. White phosphorus smoke is used to start fires, burn a target, or to create smoke which is useful in concealing the movements of friendly units.

Illumination:
Illumination projectiles are base-ejecting rounds which deploy a bright parachute flare ideally 600 meters above the ground and illuminates an area of approximately 1 grid square (1,000,000 square meters). Illumination rounds are often used in conjunction with HE rounds. Illumination rounds can also be used during the daytime to mark targets for aircraft. The M485 Illumination round burns for 120 seconds.

DPICM: Dual-Purpose Improved Conventional Munition. A base-ejecting projectile which drops 88 bomblets above a target. Each bomblet has a shaped-charge munition capable of penetrating two inches of solid steel as well as a fragmentation casing which is effective against infantry in the open. The DPICM round is effective against armored vehicles, even tanks, and is also extremely useful against entrenched infantry in positions with overhead cover. Some bomblets fail to detonate and the undetonated bomblets are very dangerous to civilians (like a land mine) so they cannot be used in urbanized areas.

ADAMS (Area Denial Artillery Munition System): An artillery round that releases antipersonnel mines. These mines eject tripwires to act as booby traps, and when triggered are launched upward before exploding. They are designed to self-destruct after a pre-determined period of time.

RAAMS: An artillery round that releases anti-armor mines, usually used along with ADAM rounds to prevent the antitank mines from being removed. Designed to self-destruct after a pre-determined period of time.

Copperhead: An artillery launched guided high explosive munition which is used for very precise targeting of high value targets such as tanks and fortifications. It requires the target be designated with a laser designator system. This round is currently no longer produced or used by the US military.

SADARM: An experimental munition which is fired in the general direction of an enemy vehicle. The shell activates at a certain point in time ejecting a parachute and then guides itself to the nearest vehicle.
 
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One of the “new” attractions of the 155s is the XM982 Excalibur Precision Guided Extended Range Artillery Projectile.

Depending on how a country stands with USA this is going to make 155s more interesting and very effective. It will be interesting to see how it behaves vs CAS over time

Part of the reasons for India to stick with their current gun
 
.
One of the “new” attractions of the 155s is the XM982 Excalibur Precision Guided Extended Range Artillery Projectile.

Depending on how a country stands with USA this is going to make 155s more interesting and very effective. It will be interesting to see how it behaves vs CAS over time

Part of the reasons for India to stick with their current gun

The 155s can now a days also deliver Nukes, so the 155 is there to stay. Being a NATO standard caliber new development would definitely form part of the 155's bore. The variety of ammo that a 155 can fire would enable any user to dominate the battler field with this single type, provided it has the ammo for its use.
 
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