M198 (howitzer)
| M198 (howitzer) | |
|---|---|
|
|
|
| General Information | |
| Manufacturer country: |
 United States
|
| Developer / Manufacturer: | Rock Island Arsenal |
| Development year: | 1969 |
| Production time: | 1978 to 1992 |
| Number of pieces: | +1,700 |
| Weapon Category: | Field howitzer |
| Team: | 8-11 |
| Technical specifications | |
| Overall length: | 11.02 m (ready to fire) |
| Pipe length: | 6.09 m |
| Caliber : |
155 mm |
| Caliber length : | L / 39 |
| Weight ready for use: | 7,154 kg |
| Cadence : | 2-4 rounds / min |
| Elevation range: | -5 ° -72 degrees |
| Side straightening area: | ± 45 ° |
| Furnishing | |
| Closure Type : | Screw lock |
| Charging principle: | manually |
| Ammunition supply: | manually |
The M198 is a medium-weight, towed howitzer made in the USA. It is the successor to the M114 model .
description
The gun with a caliber of 155 millimeters is mainly used for light ground and airmobile units. It can be moved with transport helicopters and dropped by parachute. The gun is used by the armed forces of the USA, Australia, India, Thailand, Lebanon and the terrorist militia " Islamic State " (captured from the Iraqi army). In the USA, the replacement for the successor M777 began in 2005 , which was largely completed in early 2010.
The M198 weighs 7154 kilograms, is 12.3 meters long, 2.8 meters wide and 1.9 meters high in the transport position. Nine men are planned as the operating team. The rate of fire can reach up to four rounds per minute for a short period of time, and two rounds per minute if the fire is sustained for a longer period of time. With conventional projectiles, the howitzer can reach a range of up to 22.4 kilometers. Missile-supported ammunition can be fired up to 30 kilometers.
ammunition
The standard projectile of the M198 is the M107 HE grenade with Composition B as explosive and a fragmentation jacket. The splinters reach a speed of up to 6000 meters per second and kill unprotected people within a radius of 50 meters with the highest probability and cause injuries up to a hundred meters away. The projectile is available in a version with a rocket set and thus increased range. The US Marines use a different HE grenade called the M795.
The M485 grenade for battlefield lighting ignites its flare at a height of 600 meters. It illuminates an area of around one square kilometer for 120 seconds.
The target-seeking ammunition Copperhead can also be fired from the M198. In addition, the experimental SADARM ammunition can be fired .
Other projectile types are cluster bombs or serve as a laying system for rifle or anti-tank mines .
Web links
- M198 Towed Howitzer at globalsecurity.org (English)
- M198 Towed Howitzer at fas.org (English)
- M198 155 mm Towed Howitzer at military.com (English)