Soltam M-71

Infobox Weapon
name=Soltam M-71


caption=Soltam M-71 in Beyt ha-Totchan Museum, Zikhron Ya'aqov.
origin=Israel
type=Howitzer
is_ranged=
is_bladed=
is_explosive=
is_artillery=yes
is_vehicle=
is_UK=
service=
used_by=See "users"
wars=
designer=Soltam
design_date=1974
manufacturer=Soltam
production_date=1975
number=
variants=Soltam M-68
weight=9,200 kgs
length=
part_length=6045mm (39 calibre)
width=
height=
crew=8
cartridge=155 mm NATO
caliber=155 mm 39 calibre
action=
rate=
velocity=820 meters per second
range=
max_range=23,500 meters
feed=
sights=
breech=horizontal block
recoil=
carriage=split trail
elevation=-5°/75°
traverse=20° left or right from centerline
blade_type=
hilt_type=
sheath_type=
head_type=
haft_type=
diameter=
filling=
filling_weight=
detonation=
yield=
armour=
primary_armament=
secondary_armament=
engine=
engine_power=
pw_ratio=
suspension=
vehicle_range=
speed=

The M-71 is a 155 mm 39 calibre towed howitzer manufactured by Soltam, Israel.

Design

The weapon was based on the earlier Soltam M-68 and uses the same recoil system, breech and carriage but had a longer gun barrel (39 calibre versus 33 calibre of M-68). It is fitted with a compressed air-driven rammer to permit rapid and ease of loading at all angles of elevation as well as having a rechargeable battery mounted on the right trail for auxiliary power. [cite web| url=http://www.janes.com/extracts/extract/jaa/jaa_0507.html |title =Soltam Systems 155 mm M-71 gun-howitzer (Israel) |publisher =Jane's Armour and Artillery] It can fire a 43.7 kg high-explosive shell up to a maximum range of 23,500 meters at a muzzle velocity of 820 meters-per-second.

Deployment

In addition to Israel, this weapon is in service with Chile [cite web| url=http://www.mundoandino.com/Chile/Chilean-Army |title =Chilean Army Profile |publisher =www.mundoandino.com/Chile] , Singapore [cite web| url=http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/singapore/sg_appen.html |title =Singapore artillery pieces |publisher =United States, Library Of Congress] , Thailand, South Africa, and two other undisclosed countries. A version of this weapon was developed to mount on a modified Centurion chassis (M-72), but this vehicle never reached production.

Iran came into possession of this artillery piece after it was reported that the design plans of "Soltam M-65" and "Soltam M-71" was stolen by Iranian spies.

Users

*flagicon|ISR: Israel Defense Forces
*flagicon|IRN: Islamic Republic of Iran Army (the design plans of "Soltam M-65" and "Soltam M-71" was allegedly stolen by Iranian spies and brought back to Iran),
*flagicon|CHI: Chilean Navy and Chilean Army
*flagicon|SIN: Singapore Army
*flagicon|RSA: South African Army
*flagicon|THA: Royal Thai Army
*flagicon|SLO: Slovenian Army
*flagicon|MYA: Myanmar Army

ee also

*Obusier de 155 mm Modèle 50
*Soltam M-68
*"L-39" - A M4 Sherman chassis based self-propelled artillery piece mounting the Soltam M-71 155 mm L/39 howitzer in large enclosed superstructure, design of vehicle did not progress beyond the drawing board.

References

External links

* [http://www.israeli-weapons.com/weapons/artillery/towed_guns/m-71/M-71.html Israeli-weapons.com]
* [http://www.israeli-weapons.com/weapons/vehicles/self_propelled_artillery/m-72/M-72.html IDF experimental Self-propelled gun]
* [http://www.janes.com/extracts/extract/jaa/jaa_0507.html Soltam Systems 155 mm M-71 gun-howitzer (Israel)]
* [http://www.mundoandino.com/Chile/Chilean-Army Chilean Army Profile]
* [http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/singapore/sg_appen.html Singapore Artillery Pieces]
* [http://www.balagan.org.uk/war/ai/weapons.htm Weapons of the Arab-Israeli Wars]