FH-70

Infobox Weapon|is_artillery=yes


caption=Self-propelled FH-70 of Japan Ground Self-Defense Force
name= FH 70
type= Close support gun
origin= UK, Germany, Italy
era=Modern
target= general,
date=
prod_date=
number=
service= 1978
used_by= see text
wars=
carriage= Split trail, sole plate, auxiliary power unit and hydraulics
caliber= 155 mm (6.10 in)
part_length= 39
elevation= -100 to +1250 mils
traverse= 500 mils left and right
weight= 7,800-9,600 kg
(17,196-21,164 lbs)
projectiles= HE, Smoke, Illuminating
cartridges= 3, giving charges 1 - 8
ammo_wt= 43.5 kg (96 lbs)
velocity= 827 m/s (2,713 ft/s)
range= 24-30 km (depending on ammo)
rate= burst 3 rounds in 15 seconds, 3-6 rounds per minute
crew= 8|

The FH-70 (Field Howitzer for the 1970s) is a towed howitzer in use with several nations.

History

In 1963 NATO agreed a NATO Basic Military Requirement 39 for close support artillery, either towed or tracked. Subsequently Germany and UK started discussions and design studies and in 1968 established Agreed Operational Characteristics for a towed 155 mm close support gun. Italy became a party to the agreement in 1970.

Key requirements were a detachable Auxiliary Power Unit (APU), an unassisted range of 24 km, 30 km assisted, a burst capability of 3 rounds in 15-20 seconds, 6 rounds per minute for a short period and 2 rounds per minute sustained. The gun was to fire all 155 mm munitions in NATO service and have a new range of ammunition.

The two national authorities had overall responsibility for R & D, and Vickers Ltd was the co-ordinating design authority. They were also the design authority for the carriage and Rheinmetall GmbH was the authority for the elevating mass, including the sights, and for the APU. There was a further breakdown at a more detailed level and production worksharing. The UK Royal Armament Research and Development Establishment (RARDE) was responsible for designing the HE projectile and the charge system. Germany was responsible for Smoke, Illuminating, Minelet and extended range HE, although development of the last two was not completed in the program.

The intention was for FH70 to replace M114 and equip general support battalions in German divisional artillery regiments and to equip three (two Territorial Army (TA) British general support medium regiments replacing the 5.5 inch gun. In the event it actually equipped UK regular regiments in direct support of infantry brigades until after the end of the Cold War, and only replaced the L118 Light Gun in two TA regiments, 100th (Yeomanry) Regiment Royal Artillery (volunteers) and 101st (Northumbrian) Regiment Royal Artillery (Volunteers) from 1992 to 1999.

Design

FH 70 had several interesting features including:
*a vertical sliding block breech that provided obturation and held a primer magazine containing 12 primers (a similar breech was fitted to German M109G)
*burst fire
*an on-board 1700 cc Volkswagen engine to power hydraulics to assist bring the gun in and out of action (with hand pump back-up) and to move the gun up to 20 km at low speed without towing by an artillery tractor
*electronic firing data display taking data from the otherwise conventional azimuth and elevation sights.

The barrel was 39 calibres long giving 827 m/s standard maximum MV. It had a muzzle brake giving 32% efficiency.

Other conventional features included a split trail and turntable sole plate. Initially it had assisted loading but became an early user of flick-ramming. In accordance with long-standing UK practice it used one-man laying. All this meant the gun could be operated by a minimum detachment of only 4 men (commander, layer and 2 loaders). The burst fire rate was 3 rounds in 15 seconds. It was also fitted with a direct fire telescope.

Ammunition

The new projectiles conformed to the Quadrilateral Ballistics Agreement between US, UK, Germany and Italy. In essence this meant a shell with the same shape and dimensions as the US M549 rocket-assisted projectile. The standard HE shell (UK designation L15) is a thin wall design weighing 43.5 kg and containing 11.3 kg of HE.

The propellant system comprises 3 different bagged cartridges with triple-base propellant. Cartridge 1 gives charges 1 & 2, Cartridge 2 give charges 3 - 7 and Cartridge 3 is charge 8, which gives a maximum range under standard conditions of 24.7 km.

Each nation developed its own fuzes and ammunition packaging. In UK's case this led to the Unit Load Container carrying 17 complete rounds, including shells with fuzes fitted - a novelty for 155 mm.

Operators

*EST - 24
*GER - 192 (phased out, last service with 295th Artillery Battalion (until 2001, replaced by M109 howitzer) and 225th Artillery Battalion (until 2002, replaced by PzH 2000)
*ITA - 162
*JPN - 480 (built under license with the ordnance by Japan Steel Works. Also used in a Japanese design SPG) [ [http://rightwing.sakura.ne.jp/equipment/jgsdf/fieldartillery/fh-70/fh70.html 155mm榴弾砲　FH-70.] Retrieved on May 6, 2008. ja icon]
*MAR - 30
*NLD - 15
*OMA - 12
*MYS - 12
*UK - 67 (as Howitzer 155mm L121 with Ordnance 155mm L22 on Carriage 155mm L13 (in TA service until 1999))
*SAU - 72

References

RB Pengelley "FH 70 - Europe's first multi-national artillery program" International Defense Review Vol 6, No 2 April 1973

External links

* [http://www.esercito.difesa.it/root/equipaggiamenti/dotaz_art_terr_obiceFH70.asp Italian Army Site]
* [http://www.mil.ee/index.php?menu=varustus&sisu=155mm Estonian Defence Forces]