| M198 howitzer | |
|---|---|
 A 155 mm M198 howitzer firing. |
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| Type | towed howitzer |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1979 to Present |
| Used by | U.S. Army, USMC, Australian Army, Royal Thai Army, Lebanese Army, Military of Honduras |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 1968-1977 |
| Manufacturer | Rock Island Arsenal (US) |
| Unit cost | US$527,337 |
| Produced | 1978-1992 |
| Number built | 1600+ |
| 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 |
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| 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, developed for service with the United States Army and Marine Corps. 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 [1] and the Pakistani Army. [2]
Contents |
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 30.1 km.
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, to illuniate the target area so that HE rounds can be fired more effectively. 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 (since the deck armor is usually the thinnest on the vehicle), and is also extremely useful against entrenched infantry in positions with overhead cover.
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.
Replacement
BAE Systems has won the contract to replace the M-198 in the US Army and Marine Corps with its M777 155 mm/39 cal towed howitzer, which weighs less than 7,000 lb/4,220 kg. The M777 howitzer is a towed artillery piece originally developed by British Vickers group is in the process of replacing the M198 howitzer.
Operators
See also
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: M198 howitzer |
External links
- www.fas.org - M198 Towed Howitzer
- www.globalsecurity.org - M198 Towed Howitzer
- www.military.com - M198 155mm Towed Howitzer
References
- ^ "M198 155mm". Australian Government Departmend of Defence. http://www.defence.gov.au/Army/M198_155mm.asp. Retrieved 12 December 2009.
- ^ "M198 - 155 mm Howitzer". Islamic Republic of Pakistan, PakDef Military Consortium. http://www.pakdef.info/pakmilitary/army/artillery/m198.html. Retrieved 12 December 2009.
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