Soltam M-71
| Soltam M-71 | |
|---|---|
A deployed M-71
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| 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 |
| Variants | Soltam M-68 |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 9,200 kg (20,300 lb) |
| Barrel length | 6.045 m (19 ft 10 in) L/39 |
| Crew | 8 |
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|
|
| 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 Soltam Systems.
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. 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).
In addition to Israel, this weapon is in service with Chile, Singapore, Thailand, 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.
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