Soltam M-71
| Soltam M-71 | |
|---|---|
 A deployed M-71 | |
| Type | Howitzer |
| Place of origin | Israel |
| Service history | |
| Used by | See users |
| Wars | Yom Kippur War Lebanese Civil War South African Border War 1982 Lebanon War Gaza War Myanmar Civil War |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Soltam Systems |
| Designed | 1971–1974 |
| Manufacturer | Soltam |
| Produced | 1975–[1] |
| Variants | Soltam M-68 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 9,200 kg (20,300 lb) |
| Barrel length | 6.045 m (19 ft 10 in) L/39 |
| Crew | 8 |
| Caliber | 155 mm NATO |
| Breech | Horizontal sliding block |
| Carriage | Split trail |
| Elevation | -3° to 52°[2] |
| Traverse | ±37.5° from centerline[2] |
| Muzzle velocity | 820 m/s (2,700 ft/s) |
| Effective firing range | 21 km (13 mi) (NATO standard ammunition) [3] 23.5 km (14.6 mi) (Tampella standard ammunition)[3] |
| Maximum firing range | 28.5 km (17.7 mi)[2] |
The M-71 is a 155 mm 39 caliber towed howitzer manufactured by Israeli company Soltam Systems.
Design
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.[4] 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).
Deployment
In addition to Israel, this weapon is in service with Chile,[5] Singapore,[6] Thailand, Philippines, 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.
Operators
Botswana[7]
Cameroon: 18[8]
Chile: 60 howitzers used by the Chilean Army, 36 Soltam M-68s acquired in the 1970s later upgraded to Soltam M-71 standard and 24 Soltam M-71 howitzers acquired in the 1980s.[9] 24 designated G-4 howitzers acquired by the Chilean Marine Corps in South Africa in 1992.[9][10]
Israel[1]
Myanmar: 72[11][12]
Philippines:
Singapore: 13[11] or 38[15] - modified to the M-71S standard using less crew + addition of APU.
Slovenia: 18; M839 variant.[11]
South Africa: 32; designated G-4.[16]
Thailand: 32[11]
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