The M198 is a medium-sized, towed 155 mm artillery piece, developed for service with the United States Army and Marine Corps. It was commissioned to be a replacement for the World War II-era M114 155 mm howitzer. It was designed and prototyped at the Rock Island Arsenal in 1969 with firing tests beginning in 1970 and went into full production there in 1978. It entered service in 1979 and since then 1,600 units have been produced.
The M198 was replaced in US and Australian service by the M777 howitzer.
Contents
Description
The M198 155 mm howitzer weighs less than 16,000 pounds (7,300 kg), allowing it to be dropped by parachute or transported by a CH-53E Super Stallion or CH-47 Chinook. The M198 is towed by a 5-short-ton (4.5 t; 4.5-long-ton) truck that is used to carry the nine person crew with supplies and ammunition; it is transported tail first. The gun tube can be rotated over the howitzer's trail legs to reduce its length, though this requires removal of the muzzle brake, or left in the firing position for faster deployment. When firing, the weapon is lowered onto its baseplate rather than anchored to the ground, allowing for rapid emplacement. The breech is operated manually via a screw type mechanism that rests low in an ergonomic position.
The M198 fires separate-loading (non-fixed or semi-fixed) ammunition and can be loaded with a variety of propellants and projectiles. The effective range is 18.1 km (11.2 mi) when firing standard projectiles, which increases to 30 km (19 mi) when firing rocket-assisted projectiles and guided ammunition. With the 52-caliber modification, the range can surpass 40 km (25 mi). The weapon system requires a crew of nine, and is capable of firing at a maximum rate of four rounds per minute, two sustained.
The M198 was deployed in separate corps- and army-level field artillery units, as well as in artillery battalions of light and airborne divisions. It provided field artillery fire support for all Marine Air-Ground Task Force organizations until the adoption of the M777 howitzer.
Ammunition types
High explosive (HE)
(M-107 NC/DC): Explosive Composition B material packed into a thick, internally scored shell which causes a large blast and sends razor-sharp fragments at extreme velocities (5,000–6,000 m/s (16,000–20,000 ft/s)). The kill zone has an approximate radius of 50 m (160 ft), and the casualty radius is 100 m (330 ft). The Marine Corps and US Army also uses the M795 High Explosive round.
Rocket-assisted projectile (RAP)
A high-explosive rocket-assisted (HERA) M549 round with a greater range than the normal HE. The maximum range is 30.1 km (18.7 mi).
White phosphorus
A base-ejecting projectile which can come in two versions: felt-wedge and standard. White phosphorus smoke is used to start fires, burn a target, or to create smoke which is useful in concealing the movements of friendly units.
Illumination
Illumination projectiles are base-ejecting rounds which deploy a bright parachute flare ideally 600 m (2,000 ft) above the ground and illuminate an area of approximately 1 grid square (1 km2 (0.39 sq mi)). Illumination rounds are often used in conjunction with HE rounds to illuminate the target area so that HE rounds can be fired more effectively. Illumination rounds can also be used during the daytime to mark targets for aircraft. The M485 illumination round burns for 120 seconds.
Dual-Purpose Improved Conventional Munition (DPICM)
A base-ejecting projectile that drops 88 bomblets above a target. Each bomblet has a shaped-charge munition capable of penetrating 50 mm of solid steel as well as a fragmentation casing which is effective against infantry in the open. The DPICM round is effective against armored vehicles, even tanks (since the deck armor is usually the thinnest on the vehicle), and is also extremely useful against entrenched infantry in positions with overhead cover.
Replacement
BAE Systems won the contract to replace the M198 in the US Army and Marine Corps with its M777 155 mm/39 cal towed howitzer, which weighs less than 4,200 kg (9,300 lb). It was introduced in 2005.
Operators
Current operators
Bahrain: 28 in service with the Royal Bahraini Army
Ecuador: 10
El Salvador: 12
Honduras: 4
Iraq: 60
Kurdistan
Lebanon: 218
Morocco: 35 units.
Pakistan: 148
Saudi Arabia: 60 in service with the Saudi Arabian Army and 58 in service with the Saudi Arabian National Guard
Tunisia: 55
Thailand: 118 units in service with Royal Thai Army
Former operators
Australia: 36
ISIS: 52 captured. Some were taken back while other were destroyed by air strikes.
Somalia: 18 used during the Siad Barre era
United States: 358