The M102 is a light, towable 105 mm howitzer. It was used by the United States Army in the Vietnam War, the First Gulf War, and the Iraq War.
Overview
The M102 105 mm howitzer is used in helicopter, attack plane, and light infantry operations. The weapon carriage is lightweight welded aluminum. It is mounted on a variable recoil mechanism. The weapon is manually loaded and positioned. It can be towed by a 2-ton truck or High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV), which can be transported by UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, or can be dropped by parachute with airborne units. Since 1964, the Army acquired 1,150 M102 towed howitzers. The weapon is being replaced by the M119-series 105 mm howitzer.
Characteristics
Caliber: 105 mm (4.13 in) Length: 21.8 feet (6.4 m) Barrel Length: 32 calibres Width: 6.4 feet (2 m) Height: 5.2 feet (1.6 m) Weight: 1.5 tons (1.4 t) Crew: 8 Rate of fire: 10 rounds per minute maximum, 3 rounds per minute sustained Range: 11,500 m (7.1 miles), 15,100 m (9.4 miles) with rocket-assisted projectile