Palmaria (artillery)

Infobox Weapon
name=Palmaria


caption=
origin=ITA
type=Self-propelled artillery
is_vehicle=yes
length=11.474m (37ft 7.75in)
width=2.35m (7ft 8.5in)
height=2.874m (9ft 5.25in)
weight=46,632kg (102,590 lb)
suspension=
speed=60km/h (37 mph)
vehicle_range=400km (250 miles)
primary_armament=one 155mm howitzer
secondary_armament=one 7.62mm machine gun
armour=
engine=eight-cylinder diesel engine
crew=5
engine_power=750hp (559kW)
pw_ratio=16.1 hp/tonThe Palmaria is a type of Italian self-propelled 155mm howitzer.cite book |last=Trewhitt |first=Philip |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Armoured Fighting Vehicles |year=1999 |publisher=Dempsey-Parr |location=119 |isbn=1-84084-328-4 ]

History

Developed by OTO Melara for the export market, the development of the Palmaria began in 1977,cite journal |last=Gourley |first=Scott |year=1990 |month=April |title=Fire for effect: western developments in self-propelled artillery. |journal=Armada International |volume= |issue= |pages= |id= |url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Fire+for+effect:+western+developments+in+self-propelled+artillery-a09046167 |accessdate= 2007-12-18 |quote= ] with the first prototype appearing in 1981.

Design

The Palmaria's chassis is based on the OT40 main battle tank.

The primary armament is a 155mm howitzer, with a 7.62mm machine gun. One variant replaces the machine gun with twin 25mm guns for anti-aircraft use. The howitzer has an automatic loading system, providing a rate of fire of one round every 15 seconds or a burst-fire rate of three rounds every 25 seconds. The loader has 23 ready rounds, with seven more rounds stored in the hull. Including manual reloading of the charge, the overall firing rate is normally is one round per minute for one hour. Intense firing is four rounds in one minute. Sustained fire is one round every three minutes for an indefinite period. A wide variety of munitions includes specially developed Simmel ammunition with a range of 24.7km and rocket-assisted projectiles with a range of 30km.

The turret is hydraulic with manual backup, and has 360 degree rotation with elevation limits of -4 to +170 degrees. It has its own auxiliary power supply which conserves fuel for the main engine.

Usage

As an export vehicle, Libya was the first country to adopt the Palmaria, initially ordering 210 in 1982. [cite book |author=Margiotta, Franklin D. (ed) |title=Encyclopedia of Land Forces and Warfare |year=1996 |publisher=Potomac Books |isbn=978-1-57488-087-8 |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=Ipz0AzERg_MC&pg=PA135&dq=Palmaria+howitzer&sig=zD7AMnmbWf0yu1dcxSGFEhqX1B0 |pages=135] Their army's artillery strength in 2004 included 160 Palmaria. [cite book |title=The Military Balance in the Middle East |last=Cordesman |first=Anthony |authorlink= |coauthors= |year=2004 |publisher=Praeger/Greenwood |isbn=0275983994 |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=5jyzSpqg_QMC&pg=PA100&lpg=PA100&source=web&ots=W0mOL6eL7X&sig=K-kHR-Lks_EkG4-PtAyhNmtbqoQ |pages=100]

Other users include Nigeria, who took 25 Palmaria in 1982, and Argentina, taking the last 25 vehicles in 1986. Argentina mounted the Palmaria turrets onto TAM chassis as one possible replacement for their AMX-13 Mk. F-3 self-propelled guns. This vehicle became the TAM VCA Palmaria. [cite web |url=http://www.jedsite.info/fulltrack-tango/tango/tam_series/tam-series.html |title=TAM Series of Medium Tracked Armoured Vehicles |accessdate=2007-12-18 |format= |work=www.jedsite.info ]

References