Tank gun 68

Panzerkanone 68
A preserved Panzerkanone 68
Type	Self-propelled artillery
Place of origin	Switzerland
Service history
In service	1972-1975
Used by	Switzerland
Production history
Designed	1966
Manufacturer	Eidgenössische Konstruktionswerkstätte Thun
Produced	1972-1975
No. built	4
Specifications
Weight	47.0 tonnes
Length	with gun12.40 m (40.7 ft), without gun 7.00 m (22.97 ft)
Width	3.50 m (11.5 ft)
Height	3.20 m (10.5 ft)
Crew	5
Armour	up to 120 mm RHA
Main armament	155mm gun, 34 grenades
Secondary armament	1 Mg = 7.5 mm 51, 3000 shot, Nbw 6 x 51 8 cm, 12 Smoke Cartridges 51
Engine	8 cylinder V90° engine four stroke MTU MB 837 Ba-500 auxiliary motor 4 cylinder engine Mercedes Benz OM 636 660 hp, 38 hp
Power/weight	12.3 kW/T
Suspension	torsion bar
Ground clearance	400 mm
Operational range	street 300 km (190 mi), off-road 180 km (110 mi)
Speed	55.5 km/h (34.5 mph)

The Panzerkanone 68 ("Armoured gun 68") is a Swiss self-propelled gun produced by the Eidgenoessische Konstruktionswerkstaette (Federal Manufacturing Works) to meet a Swiss Army requirement. It was only manufactured in small numbers and saw only limited service with the Swiss military.

The manufacture of a self-propelled gun was being considered in Switzerland in the mid-1950s. Studies were developed by the Group on Arms Services (GRD) and Eidgenoessische Konstruktionswerkstaette . Real development began in 1966 with the mounting of a 15 mm gun 42 on a Panzer 61 chassis. Subsequently, four vehicles were built on Panzer 68 chassis. These possessed a 155 mm (6.10 in) tank gun, with a range of not more than 30 km (19 mi) and had a rate of fire of 6 rounds per minute with automatic loading.

Due to technical and financial problems, the project was never pursued. The Swiss Army procured the American M109 howitzer instead. The four vehicles were used experimentally from 1972 to 1975. Two vehicles are preserved; one at the Panzermuseum Thun, the other one at the Schweizerische Militärmuseum Full.