Soldiers from the Omega detachment of the Ukrainian National Guard fire the 105mm howitzer at enemy positions in the direction of Zaporizhzhia. Published on July 15, 2024

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1. I don’t know if you are all familiar with this howitzer, so it’s worth
   an introduction:

   The OTO-Melara Mod 56 is an Italian-made 105 mm pack howitzer built and developed by OTO Melara.

   In service: 1957–present

   Designed: 1955–1956

   No. built: 2,500+

   Mass: 1,290 kg (2,840 lb)

   Crew: 7

   Calibre: 105 mm (4.13 in)

   Recoil: Hydro-pneumatic

   Rate of fire Maximum: 8 rpm for short periods Sustained: 4 rpm for 30 minutes

   Maximum firing range: 10,000 m (10,900

   HISTORY

   The OTO Melara 105 mm Mod 56 began life in the 1950s to meet the requirement for a modern light-weight howitzer that could be used by the Italian Army’s Alpini brigades mountain artillery regiments. That it remained in service with those units a full half century after its introduction is a testament to the gun’s quality. The Mod 56 has a number of unique characteristics for a weapon of its caliber, including the ability for its crew to manhandle the gun (due to its light weight), and the capability of being used in the direct fire role. Being a pack howitzer, it is designed to be broken down into 12 parts, each of which can be transported easily.

   Its ability to be “knocked-down” allows the sections to be transported a number of ways, although the original design was for mule-pack using special pack saddles. More often it is towed by a light vehicle such as a jeep or Land Rover. With the shield removed it can be carried inside an M113 armored personnel carrier. Its particular attraction to Western armies in the 1960s was that its light weight meant it could be lifted in one piece by helicopter, which made the gun popular with light artillery units in many countries as well as the more specialized mountain and airborne troops. Overall, the Mod 56 has served in more than 30 countries worldwide, of which a partial listing of the major operators is below.

   COMBAT SERVICE

   Identified combat use includes:

   Argentine Army 3rd and 4th Artillery Groups during the 1982 Falklands War[6]
   British Army during the Aden Emergency in South Yemen (1st Light Regiment Royal Horse Artillery and 19 Light Regiment RA) and Borneo (4, 6, 29 Cdo, 40, 45 and 95 Cdo Light Regiments RA)
   Australian Army during the Malayan Emergency in Borneo and Malaya (102 Field Battery) and during the Vietnam War in 1965–1967 (and very limited use thereafter) by 101, 103, 105, 106, and 108 Field Batteries
   Malaysian Army in Borneo and Malaysian Peninsular during the Second Malayan Emergency (1968–1989) also use during 2013 Lahad Datu standoff
   Nigerian Army during Nigerian Civil War. Some were captured by Biafrans.
   New Zealand Army deployed rotations of 4 guns during the Vietnam War (161 Battery of the 16th Field Regiment).
   Ukrainian Army during the Russo-Ukrainian War (2014–present)

   – Wikipedia