Another little help. Howitzers FH70 for Ukraine
Ukrainian howitzer FH70 in transport position. Can be towed or self-driven
The Ukrainian army received a number of 155mm FH70 towed / self-propelled guns from a foreign partner. Foreign-made howitzers will have to partially make up for losses and increase the capabilities of artillery units. However, the potential of such weapons in the current conflict is very limited, and the Ukrainian side cannot count on outstanding results.
Help with tools
Since the beginning of May, foreign states have been transferring large-caliber artillery systems to the Ukrainian army. More than a hundred M155 777mm howitzers have already been transferred, and now the start of deliveries of other types of products is being announced. Italy is believed to have shipped a number of FH70 self-propelled howitzers. These guns have already hit the Ukrainian ranges and may soon appear in the combat zone.
On May 13, the Italian edition of la Repubblica spoke about the preparation of the next package of military-technical assistance for transfer to Ukraine. It was planned to include weapons and equipment of various types, incl. 155 mm FH70 howitzers. The number of guns to be transferred was not specified. A little later, other publications reported that the country's leadership plans to approve such an assistance package in the very near future.
In preparation
Literally a couple of days later, on May 15, the Rybar telegram channel wrote that Ukrainian artillerymen were already mastering foreign materiel. FH70 howitzer crew training was carried out in Estonia on the basis of the 1st Infantry Brigade of the Ground Forces. The Estonian army is one of the operators of such guns and therefore can help with their development.
On May 26, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense published several photos showing an FH70 howitzer with a Ukrainian crew in position. The processes of deployment/collapse, loading and firing are shown. As usual, the shooting was carried out "in that direction"; the hit target is not shown. From which country and in what quantity the guns arrived is unknown. It can be assumed that the shown howitzer was included in the previously announced Italian aid package.
From the published materials, it may follow that the FH70 products have already arrived on Ukrainian territory and may soon go to the combat zone. At the same time, the prospects for such assistance are quite understandable and even obvious - like other foreign weapons, self-propelled howitzers will not have any impact on current events.
in position
International development
The FH70 (Feldhaubitze 1970) or FH155-1 field howitzer is not new. Its development began in 1968 in accordance with the British-German agreement. It is curious that it was the first in the European stories international project to develop a field gun. Under the terms of the contract, the British company Vickers carried out the overall coordination of work; she was also engaged in carriage. The artillery unit, sights and some ammunition were created at Rheinmetall. In 1970, Italy joined the project through Oto Melara.
The first experimental howitzers were made already in 1971-72. The first half of the decade was spent on refinement and refinement, and in 1976 the gun coped with all the tests. Soon mass production was launched, the results of which appeared and hit the troops in 1978. The release of guns, as well as design, was carried out within the framework of tripartite cooperation.
The first customers of the new howitzer were the developing countries. In 1978-82. Germany purchased 216 FH70s, Italy made 164 units, and the UK assembled only 71 units. Shortly thereafter, production began for export to various countries. In addition, Japan acquired a license for self-manufacturing of 480 products.
The British Army operated its FH70s (local designations L121 and L122) until the late nineties, after which it completely switched to self-propelled howitzer artillery. In 2000-2002 the Bundeswehr did the same. Italy has not yet abandoned howitzers, but has reduced their number in combat units. The released guns were decommissioned and sent for storage or sold abroad.
Currently, the FH70 is in service with eight countries in Europe and Asia. In particular, the army of Italy retains approx. 90 "active" guns and has approx. 70 units in storage. It is likely that it was the Italian guns from storage that were recently included in the aid package for Ukraine.
Technical features
The FH70 is a towed/self-propelled howitzer that complies with the 1963 NATO artillery standard. The gun is designed for direct fire or overhead trajectories and is capable of hitting manpower, equipment and fortifications. The work of the howitzer is provided by a crew of eight people. Length in the stowed position - 9,8 m, weight - up to 9,6 tons.
Projectile feed
The howitzer was built on the basis of a 155-mm rifled barrel 39 klb long. The barrel is equipped with a two-chamber muzzle brake. A semi-automatic shutter with a vertical wedge is used, which goes up when unlocked. The breech houses the details of the trigger mechanism; in the wedge there is a magazine for 12 capsules for firing a shot.
Uses 155 mm NATO standard split-loader rounds with variable charge. There is a mechanism for sending with a hydraulic drive. With its help, the rate of fire in one salvo is achieved up to 3 rds. in 15 sec. or 4-6 rds / min. during long shooting.
When using standard high-explosive fragmentation shells, the 39-caliber barrel allows you to fire at a distance of up to 22-24 km. Active-reactive ammunition is sent to 28-30 km.
Shot
The barrel is fixed on hydropneumatic recoil devices. The design of the upper machine carriage provides horizontal aiming within 56 ° to the right and left of the central position. Vertical aiming - from -5 ° to + 70 °. Provides for the installation of telescopic and panoramic sights.
The carriage is built on the basis of a central unit, on which a jack, two sliding beds and a sprung lifting wheel drive are fixed. On the beds there are two additional wheels with a control system. The carriage is equipped with hydraulic drives that simplify deployment. The pressure in the system is created by an auxiliary power unit located on the carriage.
The hydraulic system, based on a low-powered Volkswagen engine, also allows the howitzer to travel short distances. In this case, the engine power is transferred hydraulically to the main wheels. Small wheels on the beds are used for steering. However, the main method of transportation is towing behind a tractor.
Unrealized potential
From a technical point of view, the FH70 howitzer is a fairly successful weapon. According to the main characteristics, it is at least not inferior to other samples of its time or some newer products. The gun can use the entire range of modern NATO 155-mm ammunition and is therefore capable of solving a wide range of tasks. In particular, it is possible to use long-range active-rocket projectiles.
The FH70 is also quite simple in terms of operation, provided that the gunners are well trained. The work of the calculation is facilitated by the hydraulic drives of the carriage and the ramming mechanism. Known advantages are the ability to move between positions without a tractor.
However, it should be expected that the Ukrainian army will not be able to realize the advantages of its new weapon, and will also face certain problems. First of all, there is the problem of personnel training. FH70 complies with NATO standards, and retraining calculations may be associated with known difficulties. The same applies to the technical aspects of operation, incl. using the self-driving function.
A big problem should be the small number of transferred guns. Without harm to its own army, Italy can provide only 70 howitzers, which are enough for only a few divisions. This will not be enough to fully re-equip ground artillery and make up for past losses.
At the same time, it is obvious that Ukrainian guns of any type are at great risk. When advancing to a position, during firing or withdrawal, they can be detected and destroyed. The Russian army and militia of Donbass have all the necessary means for this and have repeatedly demonstrated them in action. However, most likely, not all guns will be broken, and some have a chance to become a trophy.
Common Problems
Thus, the familiar story is repeated again. The Ukrainian army is being sent help in the form of serious weapons, but in fact they are not given the opportunity to realize its full potential. There are too few foreign FH70 howitzers, their crews did not have time to gain the necessary experience, and the enemy has all the means to destroy them or take them as trophies.
All this has been repeatedly observed in recent weeks. Foreign military-technical assistance to Ukraine covers various areas and areas, but almost always faces the same problems in practice. It seems that foreign partners are satisfied with this, and they are not going to change the current situation.
- Ryabov Kirill
- Ministry of Defense of Ukraine
Information