The M108 Howitzer is an American self-propelled

105 mm 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1. I ...

howitzer A howitzer () is a long- ranged weapon, falling between a cannon (also known as an artillery gun in the United States), which fires shells at flat trajectories, and a mortar, which fires at high angles of ascent and descent. Howitzers, like ot ...

, first introduced in the early 1960s as a replacement for the

M52 self-propelled howitzer M5, M-5, M.5, M-V, or M05 may refer to: Transportation Automobiles * BMW M5, a German mid-size performance car series * Dongfeng Fengxing Lingzhi M5, a Chinese MPV * Haima M5, a Chinese compact sedan * JAC Refine M5, a Chinese MPV * Studebake ...

. The M108 was powered by a

Detroit Diesel Detroit Diesel Corporation (DDC) is an American diesel engine manufacturer headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It is a subsidiary of Daimler Truck North America, which is itself a wholly owned subsidiary of the mulitinational Da ...

turbocharged 8V-71T 8-cylinders 405 hp engine. It used the same hull and turret as the 155 mm M109 self-propelled howitzer, and components of the M113 armored vehicle. The M108 was phased out soon after the American intervention in the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...

, as the M109's 155 mm calibre was considered better fitted for modern war. The M108 was used by several

NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...

countries.

Operational history

The M108 howitzer's sole use in combat occurred in the

. M108s equipped the first U.S. Army field artillery unit deployed to the conflict, when the 3-6 Field Artillery Battalion was deployed to

Pleiku Pleiku is a city in central Vietnam, located in the Central Highlands region. It is the capital of the Gia Lai Province. Many years ago, it was inhabited primarily by the Bahnar and Jarai ethnic groups, sometimes known as the Montagnards or De ...

on June 17, 1966. This was soon followed by the 1-40th Field Artillery Battalion to

Dong Ha Combat Base Dong or DONG may refer to: Places * Dong Lake, or East Lake, a lake in China * Dong, Arunachal Pradesh, a village in India * Dong (administrative division) (동 or 洞), a neighborhood division in Korea Persons *Queen Dong (1623–1681), princes ...

in October, 1966. M108s were generally employed from fortified fire bases providing artillery support to units in the field. Because M108 and M109 howitzers could traverse their main gun 360 degrees, unlike towed artillery, they were ideal for holding fire base positions, which might be subject to attack from any direction. Both M108 battalions were withdrawn and phased out of U.S. Army service in 1975.

General characteristics

* Length: 6.11 m * Width: 3.15 m * Height: 3.28 m * Weight: 21 t * Speed: 56 km/h (35 mph) * Range: 360 km * Crew: 5 * Armament: ** Primary: M103 105 mm Howitzer ** Secondary: .50 caliber (12.7 mm) M2 machine gun * Rate of fire: 4 rds/min * Shooting range: 11.5 km (HE) 15 km (HERA)

Users

M110A2 M108 M44Texas Military Forces Museum

Current users

Chilean Army The Chilean Army ( es, Ejército de Chile) is the land arm of the Military of Chile. This 80,000-person army (9,200 of which are conscripts) is organized into six divisions, a special operations brigade and an air brigade. In recent years, and a ...

21 M108 VBCL (Véhicule Blindé de Commandement et Liaison) (Former Belgian Army). *:

National Army of Uruguay The National Army of Uruguay ( es, Ejército Nacional del Uruguay) is the land force branch of the Armed Forces of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay. Organization The army consists of some 15,000 personnel organized into four divisions. His s ...

10 M108AP.

Former users

*: Lent by US Army for Australian Defence Force during the Vietnam War. *:

Belgian Army The Land Component ( nl, Landcomponent, french: Composante terre) is the land branch of the Belgian Armed Forces. The King of the Belgians is the commander in chief. The current chief of staff of the Land Component is Major-General Pierre Gérard. ...

: 90, until the 1980s. *: Brazilian Army 72 M108AP, withdrawn, 10 donated to Uruguay. *:

Khmer National Army The Khmer National Army ( km, កងទ័ពជាតិខ្មែរ; french: Armée nationale khmère, ANK) was the Land Component of the Khmer National Armed Forces (FANK), the official military of the Khmer Republic during the Cambodian ...

: withdrawn *:

Spanish Army The Spanish Army ( es, Ejército de Tierra, lit=Land Army) is the terrestrial army of the Spanish Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is one of the oldest active armies — dating back to the late 15th century. The ...

: 48, withdrawn *:

Republic of China Army The Republic of China Army (ROCA), previously known as the Chinese Nationalist Army or Nationalist Revolutionary Army and unofficially as the Taiwanese Army, is the largest branch of the Republic of China Armed Forces. An estimated 80% of the ...

: 100 *:

Turkish Army The Turkish Land Forces ( tr, Türk Kara Kuvvetleri), or Turkish Army (Turkish: ), is the main branch of the Turkish Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The army was formed on November 8, 1920, after the collapse of the ...

: 26 M108T withdrawn *:

US 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 ...

withdrawn. *:

Tunisian Army The Tunisian Land Army ( ar, جيش البر التونسي, Jaîsh el-Barr et'Tunsi, french: Armée de terre tunisienne) is the ground component of the Tunisian Armed Forces . The Land Forces Command is located in Bizerte. The TAF itself was cr ...

48.

Comparable weapons

FV433 Abbot SPG FV433, 105mm, Field Artillery, Self-Propelled "Abbot" is the self-propelled artillery, or more specifically self-propelled gun (SPG), variant of the British Army FV430 series of armoured fighting vehicles (AFVs), using much of the chassis of ...

- British 105mm SPG

References

{{reflist

External links

Detailed dataOlive-Drab.comMilitaryfactory.comForecast International
Tracked self-propelled howitzers Self-propelled howitzers of the United States Cold War artillery of the United States 105 mm artillery Military vehicles introduced in the 1960s