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Subject:
RE:Howitzer versus Gun - Employment
Worcester
3/1/2004 5:18:01 PM
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| ISOT is right about the dimensions:
<15x bore: mortar
>15x bore: howitzer
>25x bore: cannon
The reason for these differences is the employment of these weapons.
Mortar/howitzer fire >45' angle to drop shells balistically on a target. The classic indirect fire weapons. Very important if you want to drop shells into the tops of enemy positions or to penetrate top cover or, given places like Afghanistan, reach just over the crest of a hill to engage reverse slope positions.
Cannons fire <45' angle and often have greater velocity and range; may be smaller shells but arrive with little warning. The traditional "grazing" fire.
The relationship between barrel length and muzzle velocity is not a constant; with a certain amount of charge, there is a point beyond which the shell will no longer accelerate, no matter how long the barrel. At that point a wide bore can deliver a heavy charge with adequate accuracy.
Most modern 155mm guns have a dual gun/howitzer capability. By adjusting their charge with the gun in a low elevation they can deliver short, medium and long range grazing fire; then raise the elevation to fire a high angle howitzer engagement at closer ranges. Hit the forward slopes, then hit the reverse slopes.
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