M-68/-71 155mm

Soltam Ltd, of Haifa Israel, offers a full range of modern artillery pieces and associated equipment, including mortars and mortar ammunition and 155 mm gun/howitzers and ammunition, notably the M-68/-71 155mm and M-839P/-845P 155mm guns.

The Soltam M68 is an Israeli split-trail gun-howitzer of 155 mm calibre. The Soltam M68 fires a 43.7 kg high-explosive shell to a range of 23500 meters at a muzzle velocity of 820 meters-per-second.

The only Israeli tractor drawn artillery manufacturer is the Soltam firm which seems it, is closely related to the Finnish company Tampella. Soltam M-68 of 155 mm was developed at the end the Sixties without no order specifying was placed for a model of cetype. The first prototype was born in 1968, and the chains of production started to turn in 1970. The only users known at the present time are the marine fusiliers of Singapapour and of Thailand, whereas the howitzer Soltam L-33 motorized, which borrows from M-68 its mouth from fire and its device of pointing, was adopted parl' armed with Tel-Aviv right in time to take share with the war of Kippour in 1973. The tube of M-68 is 5,18 m long. It has of a brake of mouth with simple deflector, of a crest gate of smoke and a cylinder head with horizontal corner. The sytème anti-retreat is placed above the flanked barrel of two pneumatic cylinder jacks. In displacement, the mouth with fire is pointed backwards and is verroouillée on the mounting which is of the double trail type opening out of V. The wheels of road with tires are assembled on bogies and are equipped each one with an assisted brake, which allows speeds of towing of about 100 km/h. In position of shooting, prolongs it is supported by a screw jack. Four shovels of anchoring are envisaged: with each end from the fléches, and two in reserve which make it possible to point with the part in another direction without unearthing the first.

M-68 fires the ammunition standard HE from NATO weighing 43,700 kg and a range from 21 000 m, lighting and smoke-producing shells, as of the specific projectiles Soltam which have more raised initial speed (820 m/s against 725 m/s) and an increased range (23 500 m). Soltam M-68 is not at the present time manufactured any more; the chains were converted with the production of the howitzer M-71, last-born child of the parts of 155 mm Soltam. It pourrat however to be produced again very quickly if important orders had placed. M-71 borrowed from M-68 its mounting, its cylinder head and its device antirecul, but it has a longer tube. A rammer mû with the compressed air placed on the right mouth of the arrow allows of the loading witnessed of the mouth fire whatever the rise, as well as obtaining high rates of fire (4 blows at the minute) for short periods of time. M-71 equips the Israeli army. It draws from the shells HE of a maximum range of 23 500m. Model 839P is a prototype based on M-71. It was been driven by an auxiliary engine which confers a speed of 17 km/h to him, with an autonomy of 70 km; a crane of loadings of the ammunition makes it possible to increase the maximum rise of the part of 52° with 70°.

Origin: Israel	Dimension in displacement: (in configuartion of wheel) length, 7,20 m; width, 2,58 m; height, 2 m.
Gauge: 155 mm	Pointing in site: of - 5 with +  52°
Weight: in configuration of road, 9 500 kg; in configuration of shooting, 8 500 kg	Pointing in azimuth: on 90°
Maximum range: 21 000 m

Identification: 

1. Gun: brake of mouth to a vent and crest gate of smoke in the medium of this one. Right AZ and on the left of the gun, one finds a large hydraulic actuating cylinder attached to large arm of support.	2. Accessories:
3. Frame: lay out two  arrows, having horizontal scratches at their ends, external side.	4. Train of bearing: composed of four tires, placed two by two and with front, a spare wheel is present on the arrow of left (seen gun forwards).

Country users: 

Israel	Singapore	Thailand

The M-71 towed howitzer 155 mm, is the improved version of the howitzer M-68 made by Soltam.. A version of this weapon was developed to mount it in a modified chassis of the tank Centurion (M-72), but this vehicle never reached the production. In addition to Israel, this weapon is in good condition with Singapur, Thailand, Africa of the south (where it is known like the G-4), and Chile.

TYPE	HOWITZER TRACTADO
ORIGIN	ISRAEL
YEAR OF MANUFACTURE	1974
I NUMBER OF CREW MEMBERS	8 MEN
TUBE	1 x 155 mm
TIME OF POSITION ENTRANCE	N/A
WEIGHT	9,200 kg
PIECE ANGLE	ELEVATION 52º DEPRESSION -3º
LIFE OF A WEAPON	SHARP 3 PER MINUTE IN A MINUTE 5 PER MINUTE
REACH	23.500 ms 30.000 ms WITH the ATTENDED AMMUNITION
AMOUNT	24 UNITS