As per the pictures published on social media platforms, donated FH70 155mm towed howitzers
have been deployed by the Ukrainian Army.
It is unclear from which country these were received and in what numbers.
Viewers may note that on May 15, 2022, the Italian government approved the delivery of
the FH70.
So, there is a possibility that these are transferred from the Italian army stocks which
has around 100 of these.
Some reports also indicate that Estonia has supplied an undisclosed number of this system
out of its inventory of 24 to Ukraine.
FH70 joins M777, CAESAR and PzH 2000 in the frontlines.
In this video Defense Updates analyzes how FH70 155mm towed howitzers entering the war
is alarming news for Russia ?
Let's get started.
Ukrainian forces have effectively used systems like NLAWS, Javelin, and Stugna-P In urban
setup.
But in the Donbas region where the main fighting is taking place now, longer-range weapons
like artillery are critical.
As noted by US Press Secretary for the United States Department of Defense John Kirby earlier,
the land there is flat, rolling plains and conducive to using long-range fires.
He said, "The terrain lends itself to the use of artillery, and we know that the Russians
also believe the same thing because we're seeing them move artillery units into the
Donbas, as well.
So, we want to give the Ukrainians every bit of advantage that we can.
They specifically asked for artillery support."
According to reports, Ukraine has already started using the FH70 against Russians on
the eastern front.
The FH-70 is a towed 155 mm howitzer developed by an international consortium, which included
Vickers Ltd in the UK, OTO Melara in Italy, and Rheinmetall GmbH in West Germany.
It was also manufactured in all three of these nations during its decade-long production
run, and it was also produced in substantial quantities in Japan.
The howitzer is normally towed by a 5 tons military truck that also carries the crew
and ammunition.
It is also equipped with an APU (Auxiliary Power Unit) allowing the FH-70 to move on
its own and enabling a shoot-and-scoot ability which is an artillery tactic of firing at
a target and then immediately moving away from the location from where the shots were
fired to avoid counter-battery fire.
The barrel is 39 calibers long, giving 827 m/s standard maximum muzzle velocity.
The loading system is semi-automatic and consists of a loading tray and an automatic tube loader,
which operate at any elevation or traversal.
The FH-70 uses conventional sights with an electronic display.
It is crewed by 8 men, while the minimum detachment is 4 men.
There is no gun shield.
The FH-70 can be towed on a road at a maximum speed of 100 km/h or 62 mph.
Importantly, the towed FH70 can use its onboard VW engine to move up to 20 km or 12.5 miles
at low speed on its own without being towed.
FH-70 allows for a continuous rate of fire of 2 rounds/minute, rapid-fire over a short
duration at up to 6 rounds/minute, or a burst fire of 3 rounds in 13 seconds.
A fully-automatic system with a flick rammer was also offered for the FH-70, which allowed
for firing 3 rounds in only 8 seconds.
The FH-70 can fire all the standard 155mm NATO ammunition.
Depending on the projectile it can hit targets at a distance of 30 km or 18.5 miles.
Standard rounds include the L15A1 HE which is a thin-walled 43.5 kg or 95 lbs projectile
with an 11.3 kg or 25 lbs explosive charge.
This remains the largest HE load for a standard 155mm shell.
Extended-range projectiles include US Army's M549A1 RAP-HE round and the RB30 Extended
Range Base Bleed (ERBB) The US Army's laser-guided M712 Copperhead
Cannon-Launched Guided Projectile (CLGP) round is also compatible with
the FH-70.
Russian forces have rectified some of the major follies of its initial thrust.
They are now putting in a much more coordinated effort backed up by huge amounts of resources to achieve breakthroughs.
While Ukrainian forces are showing immense resolve and ingenuity, Russia does possess
an upper hand in firepower.
This is why Ukraine needs heavy weapons - the more the better.
The introduction of FH-70 would help balance the mismatch to an extent.
Though artillery is seemingly old-fashioned, they are and will continue to play an important
role on the battlefield in the foreseeable future.
An artillery barrage will keep the enemy’s heads down and provide opportunities for the
Infantry to advance undercover.
Artillery barrages have also been known to have a physiological impact by demoralizing
the opponent.
It is cheaper and faster than air support and is now way more accurate as compared to
the old days.
FH-70 is an impressive piece and its compatibility with a large number of standard shells will
reduce logistic issues.
If received in significant numbers, it would surely be a major headache for Russian forces.