OTO MELARA MOD 56

The OTO-Melara Mod 56 is an Italian 105 mm pack howitzer designed by OTO-Melara.

Contents

History

Current Operators

Former Operators

Notes

See also

External links

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 Italy's world famous Alpini Brigades. And the fact that it remained in service with those same units a full half century after the howitzer's introduction is 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 able to be 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 easily transported.^[1] The capability of this weapon to be "knocked-down" allows the sections to be easily transported a number of ways, including by mule. This has made the gun rather popular with Mountain and Airborne troops in a number of countries. Over all, the Mod 56 has served in approximately 30 countries worldwide, of which a partial listing of the major operators is listed below.

Current Operators

★ Argentina

★ Ecuador

★ Malaysia

★ Mexico

★ Peru

★ Philippines

★ Spain

★ Venezuela

Former Operators

★ Australia

★ Canada

★ Germany

★ Italy

★ Portugal

★ United Kingdom

Notes

1. ''Twentieth Century Artillery'' by ''Ian Hogg'' — ISBN 1-84013-315-5

See also

★ M101 Howitzer

External links

★ Official OTO Melara page for the Howitzer

★ OTO Melara 105 mm Pack Howitzer on ProbertEncyclopaedia.com

★ German page on the OTO Melara 105 mm Pack Howitzer