Howitzer

A howitzer is an artillery cannon with a ratio of caliber to barrel length intermediate between mortars and artillery guns, which delivers shells at medium velocity. While normally used for indirect fire, many howitzers can be used in direct fire, typically in final defense of the howitzer position.

Modern howitzers are usually self-propelled, although some towed howitzers are used in applications where weight is critical, such as when the howitzer must be delivered by parachute, amphibious landing vehicle, or helicopter.

Current technology

The most common howitzer in current use has a caliber of 155mm, although there are some Soviet-designed medium howitzers of 122, 130, or 152mm. 105mm howitzers are still used, especially by light forces delivered by helicopter or parachute. They have rifled barrels, a recoil mechanism, and can have their vertical (elevation) and horizontal (azimuth) aim points changed without moving the entire weapon.

Howitzers are frequently self-propelled, on a tracked chassis similar to that of a tank. Again, when air or ampbibious transportation requirements make light weight a requirement, the piece may be towed. Some light howitzers are being mounted in wheeled vehicles lighter than a tracked chassis.

Older howitzers

It has been relatively recent that heavy howitzers, such as the U.S. M110 8-inch/203mm, have disappeared from active military use. While this was long considered the most accurate cannon in the U.S. Army, rockets and missiles have greater range and payload for a given weight. Air-dropped bombs also competed for the delivery of large amounts of explosive. Precision guidance also lets a smaller weight of explosive be more effective.

Even larger howitzers have been used, especially before the availability of aircraft and rocket-delivered weapons. A 9.2"/240mm howitzer saw field use in the First and Second World Wars.

Superheavy howitzers were not as mobile as field howitzers, but were appropriate for attacking fortified positions. The term "siege howitzer" goes back before the 20th century.