OTO Melara Mod. 56 Mountain Howitzer (Italy)
Channel: Main Battle Tank
Date: 18/01/2023

The Model 56 is a 105 mm towed howitzer produced by Italian military manufacturer OTO Melara. It is also known as a pack howitzer. The Mod. 56 can be dismantled into 12 pieces and transported by pack animals, such as mules, horses or camels. This feature makes it ideal for using it areas where there are no roads. It is typically used in mountains, where only hiking trails are available. Designed by Italian artillery General Salvatore Fuscaldi in 1956, the Mod. 56 was created in response to Italian Army’s “Alpini’s” (special mountain brigade) requirement for a light, flexible and compact howitzer that could be easily uses in difficult terrain of mountains and highlands. Although maximum range of fire of this howitzer is limited only to 10.5 km, still though it is versatile enough to be used as an anti-tank gun or even mortar. Due to its hydropneumatic recoil reduction system under the barrel its maximum elevation reaches +65 degrees. It this way the Mod. 56 howitzer can launch shells with parabolic trajectory for a near vertical hit. It is equipped with integral fivefold baffle muzzle brake. Two foldable trails are connected directly to axle. This reduces the recoil and gives the ability of 18 degrees traverse making it a perfect weapon for direct fire too. The howitzer also has a safety mechanism that safeguards loader from accidental fire and protects the crew from injuries.

   Weighting little more than 1 200 kg, this howitzer can be towed by light utility vehicles at a maximum speed of 70 km/h. Also it can be easily airlifted by a UH-1 Iroquois or other light utility helicopters. The weapon can be towed to animals, or as mentioned, it can be disassembled and transported piece by piece. Once defensive shield is removed, the Mod. 56 howitzer can be carried inside the M113 armored personnel carrier. The gun crew can fully disassemble this weapon in only 3 minutes. The largest part of the Mod. 56 weighs 125 kg. Hence even in case of insufficient number of pack animals the gun crew can saddle animals only with the biggest parts and carry smaller parts by themselves. Considering this the Mod. 56 howitzer enjoys a huge tactical advantage over other similar weapons.

   Being inexpensive to produce, easy to maintenance and repair, the Mod. 56 gained big popularity in many armies worldwide. At the end of 1950s it was selected by NATO as a light field gun. During trials it outperformed a French 105/22 artillery system. The Mod. 56 replaced in service the US M1 75 mm mountain howitzer. Eventually the Italian Mod. 56 has been adopted even by military powers like Germany and the United Kingdom. Actually it was the very first case, when Untied Kingdom purchased military equipment form Italy. Thos mountain howitzer has been exported to Argentina, Australia, Canada and New Zealand. Overall, this howitzer has been in obtained by over 30 countries and continues its service in most of them nowadays. Chinese Military manufacturer NORINCO produces China produces an indigenous version of the Mod. 56 of the same caliber.

   Until the mid 70’s this weapon was a standard equipment of the Allied Command Europe Mobile Force comprising of the batteries from UK, Germany, Italy, Canada and Belgium. By 1983 more that 2 600 of these howitzers had been built, from which about 340 were used by 5 brigades of Italian army’s Alpine’s artillery regiment and Folgore 185th paratroopers artillery brigade.

   The Mod. 56 saw combat actions in 1982 during Falklands War. It was used by Argentina. The United Kingdom already had a new L118 light gun that could hit targets at longer range, but was heavier and could not be transported by pack animals. However the British army utilized the Mod. 56 in South Yemen during Aden Emergency of 1963-1967 and Borneo conflict between Indonesia and Malaysia of the same period. OTO Melara’s howitzer saw action during the Vietnam War where it was used by Australian and New Zealander troops. The weapon participated in Nigerian Civil War. This howitzer demonstrated effectiveness in all kings of climate zones and made its name as a reliable and formidable artillery system.