Self-propelled artillery

• 1. Horsemen And Camels

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  During the Thirty Years' War, early 17th-century experiments created batteries that towed light field guns. Most or all of the crew rode horses into battle to provide instant fire support. The Russian army organized small units of horse artillery distributed among cavalry formations in the early 18th century. These units employed only lighter 2- and 3-pound guns yet inflicted serious losses on Prussian forces during the Seven Years' War. Frederick the Great responded by organizing the first regular horse artillery unit in 1759. By the start of the French Revolutionary Wars in the 1790s, Austria, Hannover, Portugal, Russia, France, Great Britain, and Sweden had formed similar units. This arm remained in use throughout the Napoleonic Wars and well into the first half of the 20th century. Zamburak systems offered a different approach from the early modern period. Small swivel guns mounted on camels served Islamic gunpowder empires, especially those of Iran. These mounts operated effectively on the rugged Iranian plateau where heavy cannons were difficult to transport.

• 2. Tracks And Blitzkrieg

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  The British Gun Carrier Mark I became the first tracked self-propelled gun fielded in 1917 during World War I. It was based on the British Mark I tank and carried a heavy field gun that could be fired from the vehicle or removed for standard setup. The Italian 102/35 su SPA 9000 entered service in September 1915 as the first wheeled heavy self-propelled gun. More than 100 units were produced and fought in every major battle on the Italian front. Hauptmann Alfred Becker created the first battery of self-propelled artillery by mounting 10.5 cm leFH 16 howitzers on captured British Vickers Mk.VI light tanks. His Geschützwagen Mk VI 736 (e) served as the forerunner to German tracked field guns like the Wespe and Hummel. As the war progressed, most nations developed self-propelled artillery to keep pace with advancing armored formations. The American M7 Priest, the British Sexton, and the German Wespe and Hummel typified these lightly armoured vehicles with open-topped hulls. The Soviets chose a different route by building versatile assault guns with indirect-fire capabilities such as the ISU-152.

• 3. Computers And Fire

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  Modern self-propelled artillery is highly computerized with systems allowing self-surveying of firing positions using GPS and inertial navigation. Digital fire control and ballistic computers enable individual guns to disperse over wide areas while delivering rounds simultaneously. A modern battery of six guns can fire 43 kg projectiles at a burst speed of four rounds per minute. This configuration delivers over a tonne of ordnance per minute for up to four minutes with immense weight of fire. The latest version of the 155 mm G6 howitzer, designated G6-52, fires up to six rounds in quick succession that land nearly simultaneously. Automated ammunition feed systems make this rapid reloading possible through multiple-round simultaneous impact techniques. These capabilities increase survivability manyfold as vehicles can displace and avoid counterbattery fire much more quickly than before. Modern logistic systems track ammunition consumption levels and utilize palletized load dropping to keep supply lines moving without disrupting firing missions.

• 4. Towed Versus Tracked

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  The key advantage of self-propelled over towed artillery lies in the ability to bring weapons into action much faster. Towed systems must stop, unlimber, and set up guns before they can be used. Moving position requires limbering up again and towing the equipment to a new location. Self-propelled units can stop at a chosen spot and begin firing almost immediately before moving on. This shoot-and-scoot ability proves very useful in mobile conflicts and open battlefields. Conversely, towed artillery remains cheaper to build and maintain than tracked alternatives. Towed systems are lighter and can deploy in areas where self-propelled guns cannot reach. Heavy transport helicopters have been used for rapid deployment since the Vietnam War despite considerable expense and risk. Both self-propelled and towed artillery remain standard equipment in many modern armies today.

• 5. Rockets And Mortars

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  Multiple launch rocket systems offer greater ranges with less restriction in calibre compared to traditional guns. These systems carry complex shells that saturate large areas with sub-munitions rather than providing accurate single-point fire. The Soviet Katyusha self-propelled multiple rocket launchers were unarmored trucks with simple rocket racks on the back. Germany created the 8 cm Raketen-Vielfachwerfer after capturing Katyusha examples during World War II. Romania developed the Mareșal tank destroyer which featured an early prototype armed with a Katyusha system. The Russian army utilizes a 2S4 Tyulpan self-propelled 240 mm heavy mortar for specialized roles. Patria Hägglunds manufactures AMOS, a 120 mm automatic twin-barrelled breech-loaded mortar turret. The Israeli Makmat serves as a mortar carrier based on the M4 Sherman tank chassis. The Israeli Merkava main battle tank carries a 60 mm mortar in its rear troop compartment firing through a roof opening.