18-476: The PCL-181 is a Chinese truck-mounted, 155 mm self-propelled howitzer used by the People's Liberation Army Ground Force (PLAGF). The designation "PCL" is an acronym derived from pinyin ( Chinese : 炮车榴弹炮 ; pinyin : Pào Chē Liúdànpào ; lit. 'Gun Vehicle Howitzer'). The PCL-181 made its first public appearance during the 70th Chinese National Day Parade on 1 October 2019. It
36-688: A common caliber between the Royal Navy and the British Army . Despite superficially appearing to be inferior based on a simple comparison of round diameters, when firing conventional ammunition the smaller, 4.5 inch Mark 8 naval gun is comparable to the standard 155 mm (6.1 in) gun-howitzer of the British Army. The standard shell from a 4.5 inch Mark 8 naval gun has the same, if not better, range. Only by using rocket-assisted projectiles (RAPs) can most 155 mm (6.1 in) guns have comparable range to
54-529: A domestic production of shells. As of December 2022, the production rate was "in the thousands". The US declared its plans to increase the production to 90,000 per month, to reach 1,000,000 shells per year in 2025. Rheinmetall said it was ready to boost production to 500,000 per year. In summer 2023, the EU approved a plan that provides for the production of 650,000 large-calibre ammunition per year, and pledged to supply one million artillery shells to Ukraine over
72-526: A good compromise between range and power, while using just a single caliber greatly simplifies the logistics burden. This has led to the obsolescence of larger caliber artillery shells such as the 175 and 203 mm (6.9 and 8.0 in). Some militaries continue to retain the smaller 105 mm (4.1 in) weapons for their light weight and greater portability. Russia and former Eastern Bloc countries tend to use 122, 130, and 152 mm (4.8, 5.1, and 6.0 in) artillery in similar roles. Since
90-596: Is a NATO -standard artillery shell caliber that is used in many field guns , howitzers , and gun-howitzers . It is defined in AOP-29 part 1 with reference to STANAG 4425. The 155 mm (6.1 in) caliber originated in France after the Franco-Prussian War (1870–1871) . A French artillery committee met on 2 February 1874 to discuss new models for French fortress and siege artillery, among which there
108-412: Is capable of all-weather operation. Each vehicle can carry 27 rounds of ammunition. The vehicle features semi-automatic ammo reload, where the operator places the shell on the loading arm and the loading arm loads the round into the breech. The PCL-181 is equipped with an automatic fire-control system . Following the operator's input of a target's azimuth data, the vehicle-mounted computer can calculate
126-992: The K9 thunder self-propelled howitzer. The SH-15s are Pakistan Army's first 155 mm/52-caliber gun. It is capable of firing VLAP rounds that have a range of 50km. For example, Pakistan ordered 1,332 VLAP in 2017, and acquired ToT to produce further VLAP shells domestically. It can also fire laser-homing, satellite-guided, and top-attack projectiles. These guided shells are cheaper than the guided rockets in Pakistan's inventory. Finally, it can also reportedly fire nuclear artillery . The SH-15's chassis reportedly performs well off-road, but not in more demanding terrain. In China's PLAGF, each group army commands one artillery brigade which doctrinally includes two self-propelled or towed artillery (122 mm, 152 mm, or 155 mm) battalions , each of which comprises three batteries of four to six howitzers each. 155 mm 155 mm (6.1 in)
144-552: The US Navy 's Advanced Gun System (AGS) also uses a 155 mm (6.1 in) caliber, it is not compatible with NATO-standard 155 mm (6.1 in) ammunition. Only one type of ammunition was ever developed and procurement was discontinued in 2016 due to its high cost, making the AGS unusable. Compatible with NATO projectiles: Unknown compatibility: As of February 2023 –March 2023, Ukraine was firing up to 10,000 artillery shells per day, with
162-618: The 4.5 inch Mark 8 naval gun and by doing so there is a reduction in the payload. This is because naval guns can be built much more strongly than land-based self-propelled gun-howitzers, and have much longer barrels in relation to caliber (for example the 4.5 inch Mark 8 naval gun has a barrel length of 55 calibers , while the standard AS-90 self-propelled gun has a barrel length of 39 calibers). This allows naval guns to fire heavier shells in comparison to shell diameter and to use larger propellant charges in relation to shell weight, leading to greater projectile velocities. Even without active cooling,
180-564: The average monthly rate of 90,000–110,000 of 155 mm shells. In March 2023, the Ukrainian defense minister asked allies for 250,000 of such shells per month. Before the start of the large-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine (2022), the United States produced 14,400 shells per month. As of March 2023 , the rate has increased to 20,000 per month. Germany's Rheinmetall was producing 60,000–70,000 per year in 2022. Ukraine has
198-585: The end of World War II , the 155 mm (6.1 in) caliber has not found any use among naval forces despite its ubiquity on land with most NATO and aligned navies using 76 mm (3.0 in), 100 mm (3.9 in), 114 mm (4.5 in), or 127 mm (5.0 in) guns on modern warships. At one point the British Ministry of Defence studied "up-gunning" the Royal Navy 's 4.5 inch Mark 8 naval guns to give increased firepower and
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#1732787831389216-458: The heavier naval gun barrels allow a faster sustained rate of fire than field guns, and this is exploited with an autoloading system with a capacity of several hundred rounds. The 155 mm (6.1 in) is better than the 4.5 inch Mark 8 naval gun for firing cannon-launched guided projectiles (CLGP) as the lower velocity of the 155 mm (6.1 in) shell makes it much easier for the projectiles' internal electronic guidance systems to survive being fired. While
234-492: The next 12 months. STANAG In NATO , a standardization agreement ( STANAG , redundantly : STANAG agreement ) defines processes, procedures, terms, and conditions for common military or technical procedures or equipment between the member countries of the alliance. Each NATO state ratifies a STANAG and implements it within its own military. The purpose is to provide common operational and administrative procedures and logistics , so one member nation's military may use
252-540: The stores and support of another member's military. STANAGs also form the basis for technical interoperability between a wide variety of communication and information systems (CIS) essential for NATO and Allied operations. The Allied Data Publication 34 (ADatP-34) NATO Interoperability Standards and Profiles which is covered by STANAG 5524, maintains a catalogue of relevant information and communication technology standards. STANAGs are published in English and French ,
270-594: The trajectory of the artillery, and automatically lay the gun. The PCL-181 is based on Taian GM's 6×6 truck chassis. The PCL-181 is fitted with hydropneumatic suspension , allowing better gun elevation and depression. Due to its comparatively lighter weight of 25 tons, the PCL-181 can also be transported in a Shaanxi Y-9 . According to state media reports, most of the country's five military jurisdictions, known as theater commands , have been equipped with PCL-181 155 mm vehicle-mounted howitzers. In June 2020, it
288-586: Was a weapon in the 14–16 cm (5.5–6.3 in) caliber range (later it became known as the De Bange 155 mm cannon ). After several meetings, on 16 April 1874 the committee settled on the 155 mm (6.1 in) caliber (in the subsequent program-letter of the committee, dating from 21 April 1874, the caliber was for the first time expressed as 155 mm (6.1 in)). Since the early 21st century, most NATO armies have adopted 155 mm (6.1 in) weapons as an all-purpose standard. They are seen as striking
306-682: Was designed to replace the 152 mm PL-66 towed gun-howitzer and the 130 mm Type 59-1 towed field guns used by the PLAGF and will complement the PLZ-05 , and improve upon its functionality in many ways. The gun has a 52-caliber barrel and is exactly the same as that of the PLZ-05 self-propelled howitzer. It has a maximum firing range of up to 40 km (25 mi) with conventional ammunition and 72 km (45 mi) with extended range ammunition. The gun can also fire laser-guided munition which
324-833: Was reported that the PCL-181 had been deployed in the Tibet Autonomous Region amid tensions with India . In February 2021, it was reported that at least 18 PCL-181s had been inducted into the PLAGF's Xinjiang Military Command. In 2019, Pakistan signed a contract for 236 SH-15s. Deliveries started in January 2022, and the SH-15s participated in the Pakistan Day parade on March 23, 2022. As per sources, Pakistan may have acquired TOT to further build these self-propelled howitzers locally at Heavy Industries Taxila . Pakistan acquired it in response to India's acquisition of
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