The M104 155 mm projectile is a
chemical artillery shell
A shell, in a military context, is a projectile whose payload contains an explosive, incendiary, or other chemical filling. Originally it was called a bombshell, but "shell" has come to be unambiguous in a military context. Modern usage ...
designed for use by the
U.S. Army. It was specifically designed to carry about of
sulfur mustard (H) or (HD) blister agent (distilled mustard). As early as the 1960s, the shell was also filled with
white phosphorus
Elemental phosphorus can exist in several allotropes, the most common of which are white and red solids. Solid violet and black allotropes are also known. Gaseous phosphorus exists as diphosphorus and atomic phosphorus.
White phosphorus
White ...
to be used for
obscuration and
signaling
In signal processing, a signal is a function that conveys information about a phenomenon. Any quantity that can vary over space or time can be used as a signal to share messages between observers. The ''IEEE Transactions on Signal Processing'' ...
.
History and design
Following
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, militaries around the world began working to standardize calibers of ammunition within their countries. In the United States, the military began focusing on replacing the European-made 75 mm
artillery shell
A shell, in a military context, is a projectile whose payload contains an explosive, incendiary, or other chemical filling. Originally it was called a bombshell, but "shell" has come to be unambiguous in a military context. Modern usage ...
s with 105 mm and 155 mm shells.
The M104 (along with the
M110, which it shares many design elements with) was designed as a 155 mm
artillery shell
A shell, in a military context, is a projectile whose payload contains an explosive, incendiary, or other chemical filling. Originally it was called a bombshell, but "shell" has come to be unambiguous in a military context. Modern usage ...
for use in the
M114 howitzer. It is a steel shell with a rotating band near the base, and a burster well that goes down the center of the shell. Filler of either
sulfur mustard
Mustard gas or sulfur mustard is a chemical compound belonging to a family of cytotoxic and blister agents known as mustard agents. The name ''mustard gas'' is technically incorrect: the substance, when dispersed, is often not actually a gas, b ...
or
white phosphorus
Elemental phosphorus can exist in several allotropes, the most common of which are white and red solids. Solid violet and black allotropes are also known. Gaseous phosphorus exists as diphosphorus and atomic phosphorus.
White phosphorus
White ...
is placed in the empty space and a fuze is fixed to the top before firing.
Variants and markings
Projectile, gas, persistent, HD, 155 mm howitzer, M104
This version of the shell was designed as a
chemical weapon delivery system. It weighs in total and is filled with of
distilled mustard (HD). It is marked as a standard chemical artillery munition, being gray with two green, horizontal bands.
The
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
still possesses a limited stockpile of these munitions, which are in the process of being safely decommissioned in accordance with the
1997 Chemical Weapons Convention.
Projectile, smoke, WP, 155 mm gun, M104
A later version of the M104, this version is in total and filled with of white phosphorus. Due to the properties of white phosphorus, the shell also has mild
incendiary effects. It is marked as a
military smoke munition, being gray with a single yellow, horizontal band.
See also
*
M110 155 mm projectile
*
M121 155 mm projectile
*
M687 155 mm projectile
References
{{U.S. chemical weapons
155mm artillery shells
Chemical weapon delivery systems
Chemical weapons of the United States