FH155-1
| FH155-1 | |
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| General Information | |
| Military designation: | FH155-1 / FH 70 |
| Manufacturer country: |
Germany Italy Japan United Kingdom |
| Developer / Manufacturer: |
Rheinmetall Oto Melara Vickers Japan Steel Works, Ltd. |
| Development year: | 1968-1976 |
| Production time: | 1976 to 1982 |
| Number of pieces: | 932 |
| Weapon Category: | howitzer |
| Team: | 7th |
| Technical specifications | |
| Overall length: | 9.80 / 12.43 (driving / firing) |
| Pipe length: | 39 caliber (6.022 m) |
| Caliber : |
155 mm NATO |
| Cadence : | Continuous fire 2 rounds / min |
| Elevation range: | −4.5 ° to 70 ° angular degrees |
The field howitzer FH155-1 is a field howitzer on a wheel mount with a caliber of 155 mm that was developed in the late 1960s for the armies of various European NATO countries. Around 500 pieces were produced in Europe by 1982, and Japan also produced the weapon under license.
history
In the early 1960s, Germany , Great Britain and the USA agreed that the redevelopment of a towed field howitzer was necessary. Germany and the US intended to replace their outdated M114 guns , while the UK wanted to replace the old 5.5 inch guns. However, the three countries could not agree on a common technical basis, so the United States developed its own gun with the M198 . In 1968, Germany and Great Britain agreed on a list of requirements that provided for a high rate of fire with the possibility of a fire strike, high mobility with a minimum of effort for getting into position and a long range. Great Britain took over the project management for the towed howitzer, which in Germany was also called Feldhaubitze 70 (FH70). At the same time, the self-propelled armored version of the Panzerhaubitze 70 was being worked on in Germany . However, this project was canceled in 1986 and the Panzerhaubitze 2000 was later procured. In the individual countries, the following companies were commissioned to develop individual components of the gun: Vickers developed the chassis, the directional gearbox , the HE ammunition ( H igh E xplosive) and a variant of the propellant charge. Oto Melara developed the tubular cradle , the recoil absorbers, the mount for the target optics, the elevation drive, fog and light projectiles and two other variants of the propellant charges . Rheinmetall developed the weapon system, the loading system, the auxiliary power unit , the suspension, the target optics and was also involved in the smoke and light ammunition.
The first six prototypes were completed in 1969 and 1970, after which Italy, after accepting the technical and tactical specifications, joined the project, as the Italian army was also looking for a new field howitzer. Another construction lot of eight prototypes was not completed until between 1971 and 1973, probably due to numerous lack of detail. In the field artillery training battalion 51, a gun battery was formed for troop testing . Because of the intensive support provided by the Rheinmetall company , the trial was "satisfactory", but it was only in 1976 that the gun could be considered ready for series production. The first series copies were delivered in 1978. Germany ordered 216 guns, Italy 164 and Great Britain 71; production for these three countries was completed in 1982. In the same year, Saudi Arabia ordered 72 guns with associated ammunition, fire control systems and training equipment. Malaysia obtained a total of twelve guns between 1989 and 1993. Japan manufactured the gun under license.
technology
Weapon system and ammunition
The weapon system of the FH155-1 consists of a gun barrel in caliber 155 mm with a two-chamber muzzle brake, a semi-automatic drop wedge lock, an automatic feed device for propellant charge igniter and a semi-automatic loading device. The loading device can be used with every elevation and every side direction of the pipe. After the shot has been triggered, it pushes a new projectile into the chamber as the gun barrel is advanced, which then only needs to be set by a gunner. It enables a rate of fire of six rounds per minute or a three-shot strike within 13 seconds. With the latter it was hoped to undermine the intrusion by artillery reconnaissance radars. In the case of longer fire orders, the rate of fire is limited to two rounds per minute due to the thermal load on the barrel and the physical endurance of the gun crew. An automatic attachment device could also be used to fire a three-shot fire in eight seconds.
Three types of projectile were used as ammunition. To select the HE projectile were ( H igh E xplosive - explosive projectile) kg L15A1 with an explosive charge of 11.3, the fog projectile DM 105 and the light basement DM106. The propellant charges used were bag charges, which were divided into three groups: charges one and two for short ranges, charges three to seven for medium distances and the eighth charge for long distances. Depending on the cargo, the muzzle velocity ranged from 213 m / s to 827 m / s. The propellant charges burned with almost no residue.
Mount
The carriage is composed a light metal construction of two spars with Erdspornen (APU for partially receiving the recoil forces and to stabilize, main and support wheels, a base plate, an auxiliary power unit A uxiliary P ower U nit) and the seat for the gunner with the receptacle for the target optics.
The main wheels are attached to the main frame of the carriage, the suspension is provided by swing arms. Hydraulic shock absorbers are also attached. The main wheels can be braked hydraulically from the towing vehicle or via the auxiliary power unit. The support wheels can be steered, raised and lowered hydraulically.
A motor for changing positions without a towing vehicle and for operating the extensive hydraulic system is mounted in a housing on the front part of the main frame. As part of the development of a 600 cm³ boxer engine by BMW, this auxiliary power unit had grown to a near-series 1.8-liter Volkswagen engine with batteries, gearbox and hydraulic pump due to the high performance requirements for driving and hydraulic operation. The engine can accelerate the gun to up to 16 km / h without a towing vehicle and manage gradients of up to 34 °. In addition, the hydraulic system operated by the motor is used to lower, raise and swivel the bars and to straighten the weapon system. If the auxiliary power unit fails, the hydraulic pressure can be built up using a hand pump.
The FH155 can be pulled by towing vehicles at speeds of up to 100 km / h. Air transport is possible in a Lockheed C-130 or as an external load under a CH-47 Chinook .
Web links
- Manufacturer description FH 70 (PDF file; 2.00 MB)