What are the differences between self-propelled guns in different countries?

Although production of the M108 105mm self-propelled howitzer began in October 1962, production stopped a year later. Because NATO has decided within the organization to set the standard caliber of artillery for armored forces at 155 mm, the actual economic benefits of manufacturing 105 mm artillery are not high.

Ten years later, Japan’s Type 74 105mm self-propelled howitzer also encountered the above situation, and the United States transferred the eliminated M108 to Belgium, Spain, Brazil and other countries for use.

After the M108 was eliminated, the focus of American self-propelled gun production was on the M109 155mm self-propelled howitzer. This self-propelled gun weighs 23.8 tons. The 155mm howitzer is installed in a sealed turret that can rotate 360 ??degrees. This device has epoch-making significance. This self-propelled gun has become the main equipment of the armored division artillery unit in the U.S. Army: in addition to its own use by the U.S. military, it is also supplied to the armies of NATO organizer countries and many Western countries. The M109 was produced during the same period as the M108. In the mid-1970s, production of this self-propelled gun exceeded 3,000 vehicles, and production continues today. It is used in more than 20 countries.

After many improvements, the M109 has spawned many different sister products. The improved self-propelled gun not only has a longer range, but also has a much higher firing speed. These two reforms are in line with the needs of modern warfare.

In 1964, the German Army designated Rheinmetall to improve the M108 gun on the M109 vehicle, increasing the range from 14,700 meters to 18,000 meters, and increasing the firing rate from 3 rounds per minute to 3 rounds per minute. 6 shots. The improved M109 was called M109G. In addition to 586 vehicles equipped by Germany, the Italian Army also ordered 205 vehicles.

The U.S. Army was stimulated by Germany's improved self-propelled guns, and also began to improve the range of self-propelled guns on its own. Improved M109A1. The barrel length was increased from the original 3.7 meters to 6.1 meters in one go. The M109A1 began production in 1972, and existing M109s were also transformed into the M109A1 type. The range of this gun is the same as that of the M109G, which is 18,000 meters. If rocket extended-range projectiles are used, the range can reach 24,000 meters.

In addition, the United States is also developing the M109A2, which is the M109 plus a recoil elimination device. It can not only use the M203 equipped with firing section -8, but also increase the number of shells fired in the vehicle. 22 rounds, with a range of 22,500 meters. If rocket-extended range bombs are used, the range of 30,000 meters required by modern warfare can be reached. The existing M102A2 with the same improvements was called the M109A3. In addition, the armies of various countries also have many self-propelled guns that they have improved. For example, the Swiss Army's improved self-propelled gun is called M109S, and the Israeli Army's improved self-propelled gun is called M109.

Among the hulls used by the fourth-generation self-propelled guns, the second model, M107 and M109, have been used in parallel for a long time. The reason is that the M107 is equipped with a cannon, while the M110 is equipped with a howitzer. The two types of car bodies carry different artillery, so they can exist at the same time for a long time. The M107 is a self-propelled artillery successor to the M40 from World War II. The gun has a 60-caliber long barrel and a range of 32,000 meters. It is known as the longest-range artillery gun in the Western world.

This long-range artillery was very active on the Vietnam battlefield and was adopted by the United States, West Germany, and Italy. Due to the development of artillery shells and the lengthening of the howitzer barrel, the range of the M110 using the series has also reached 30,000 meters. In December 1969, the U.S. Army phased out the more outdated M107.

Except for the gun barrel, the M107 and M110 have almost the same structure below the gun mount, so the M107 and M109 can be easily improved into the M110A1 and A2. Some countries that use the M107 have also adopted the US Army's methods for improvement. However, some countries, such as Israel, Iran, Turkey, Greece and other countries, continue to use the M107 due to economic reasons.

The original M110 modification resulted in a weight of 26.4 tons, which was somewhat lighter than the M107's 28.2 tons. However, the gun only has a 25-caliber gun and its range can only reach 16,800 meters. The M201 gun body of the M110A1 was increased to 4 meters and 40 caliber, and became one of the equipment of the US military from January 1977. The M110A1 uses the new M188 ammunition (shooting section-8 ammunition) with a maximum range of up to 26,000 meters.

However, this range still cannot reach the 30-kilometer range required by modern warfare. Since 1978, the M110A2 equipped by the army has been equipped with a muzzle brake. And use the more powerful M188A1 (shooting section-9 ammunition) to achieve the range required by modern warfare. The 203mm self-propelled howitzer used by the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force is also an improved self-propelled gun with such a long range. In addition to using the M650E5 rocket extended-range projectile to reach a maximum range of 29,100 meters, it can also launch new artillery shells such as M711 grenades, M509 submunitions, M736 chemical bombs, and M753 rocket-propelled nuclear artillery shells.