Soltam M-71

Soltam M-71
Soltam M-71
	A deployed M-71
Type	Howitzer
Place of origin	Israel
Service history
Used by	See users
Wars	Yom Kippur War; South African Border War
Production history
Designer	Soltam Systems
Designed	1974
Manufacturer	Soltam
Produced	1975[1]
Variants	Soltam M-68
Specifications
Mass	9,200 kg (20,300 lb)
Barrel length	6.045 m (19 ft 10 in) L/39
Crew	8
Caliber	155 mm NATO
Breech	horizontal-block
Carriage	Split trail
Elevation	-5°/75°
Traverse	±20° from centerline
Muzzle velocity	820 m/s (2,700 ft/s)
Maximum firing range	23.5 km (14.6 mi)

The M-71 is a 155 mm 39 caliber towed howitzer manufactured by Israeli company Soltam Systems.

Design

The weapon was based on the earlier Soltam M-68 and uses the same recoil system, breech and carriage but had a longer gun barrel (39 calibre versus 33 calibre of M-68). It is fitted with a compressed air-driven rammer to permit rapid and easy loading at all angles of elevation as well as having a rechargeable battery mounted on the right trail for auxiliary power.[2] It can fire a 43.7 kilograms (96 lb) high-explosive shell up to a maximum range of 23.5 kilometers (14.6 mi) at a muzzle velocity of 820 meters per second (2,700 ft/s).

The Soltam M-71 in travel/towing configuration

Deployment

In addition to Israel, this weapon is in service with Chile,[3] Singapore,[4] Thailand, Philippines, South Africa, Slovenia and Myanmar. A version of this weapon was developed to mount on a modified Centurion chassis (M-72), but this vehicle never reached production.

Operators

Map of M-71 operators in blue

Myanmar: 16[5]
Chile: 36[5]
Israel[1]
Philippines:
- Philippine Army: 14[6] (+6)[7]
- Philippine Marine Corps: 6 [7]
Singapore: 13[5] or 38[8] - modified to the M-71S standard using less crew + addition of APU.
South Africa: 32; designated G-4.[9]
Thailand: 32[5]
Slovenia: 18; M839 variant.[5]
Botswana[10]

References

Kinard, Jeff. Artillery: An Illustrated History of Its Impact (2007 ed.). ABC-CLIO Publishers. pp. 301–302. ISBN 978-1-85109-561-2.
"Soltam Systems 155 mm M-71 gun-howitzer (Israel)". Jane's Armour and Artillery.
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/israel/m-68.htm
"Singapore artillery pieces". United States, Library Of Congress.
"Trade Registers". Armstrade.sipri.org. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
Solmerin, Florante (23 June 2013). "Army eyes hi-tech mounted artillery". Manila Standard Today. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
"PHL military gets 3 brand-new 155-mm howitzers, 9 more en route". Philippine News Agency. 8 June 2017. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
https://www.frstrategie.org/publications/defense-et-industries/st-kinetics-ou-les-ambitions-de-singapour-dans-l-armement-7-5
G6 L45 self-propelled towed gun-howitzer
http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=29364:botswana&catid=119:african-militaries&Itemid=255

External links

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[Arty-1] Kinard, Jeff. Artillery: An Illustrated History of Its Impact (2007 ed.). ABC-CLIO Publishers. pp. 301–302. ISBN 978-1-85109-561-2.

[2] "Soltam Systems 155 mm M-71 gun-howitzer (Israel)". Jane's Armour and Artillery.

[3] ttp://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/israel/m-68.htm

[4] "Singapore artillery pieces". United States, Library Of Congress.

[trade-5] "Trade Registers". Armstrade.sipri.org. Retrieved 20 November 2014.

[6] Solmerin, Florante (23 June 2013). "Army eyes hi-tech mounted artillery". Manila Standard Today. Retrieved 5 April 2016.

[PNA3+9-7] "PHL military gets 3 brand-new 155-mm howitzers, 9 more en route". Philippine News Agency. 8 June 2017. Retrieved 9 June 2017.

[8] ttps://www.frstrategie.org/publications/defense-et-industries/st-kinetics-ou-les-ambitions-de-singapour-dans-l-armement-7-5

[9] G6 L45 self-propelled towed gun-howitzer

[10] ttp://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=29364:botswana&catid=119:african-militaries&Itemid=255