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| M107 self-propelled gun | |
|---|---|
| Name | M107 self-propelled gun |
| Type | Self-propelled gun |
| Origin | United States |
| Service | 1962–1990s |
| Used by | United States Army; Israel Defense Forces; Royal Thai Army; Republic of China Army |
| Designer | Chrysler Defense |
| Manufacturer | Chrysler Defense |
| Produced | 1962–1965 |
| Number | 385 |
| Weight | 28.3 t |
| Length | 10.2 m (gun forward) |
| Width | 3.35 m |
| Height | 3.02 m |
| Crew | 13 |
| Armament | 175 mm M107 gun; .50 cal M2 HB machine gun |
| Engine | Continental AVDS-1790-2 V12 diesel |
| Power | 750 hp |
| Suspension | torsion bar |
| Speed | 56 km/h (road) |
| Range | 480 km |
M107 self-propelled gun The M107 self-propelled gun is a United States-designed long-range artillery vehicle built by Chrysler Defense and fielded in the 1960s. It provided corps- and army-level indirect fire with a 175 mm gun intended to engage fortifications, assembly areas, and other strategic targets during high-intensity conflicts such as those envisioned against Warsaw Pact forces. The system entered service alongside contemporary systems and saw deployments with several allied militaries.
Development began in the late 1950s under U.S. Army requirements for long-range, heavy-caliber artillery to complement systems like the M110 howitzer and counter Warsaw Pact deep targets identified in NATO planning. Chrysler Defense adapted components from armored vehicle programs and partnered with subcontractors influenced by procurement offices within the United States Department of Defense and requirements set by United States Army Field Artillery Branch. Design priorities included range, mobility, and a high rate of fire compatible with corps-level fire support doctrine promulgated in Combat Developments Command studies. The resultant layout combined a large 175 mm tube with a rear-mounted recoil system and a chassis derived from contemporary heavy tracked vehicles, reflecting influences from projects connected to Chrysler Corporation and engineering norms from the Cold War era.
The primary armament is a 175 mm M107 gun capable of firing a variety of projectiles, including high-explosive and rocket-assisted rounds, to maximum ranges exceeding 30 km depending on munition and charge. Fire-control interfaces matched artillery tables and integration efforts seen in other Cold War systems fielded by United States Army Artillery units. The vehicle is powered by a Continental AVDS-1790-2 diesel producing about 750 horsepower, enabling strategic and tactical mobility consistent with corps maneuver elements such as those in V Corps (United States) and allied formations. Crew accommodations reflect doctrine-driven requirements for ammunition handling teams similar to procedures in units of the Field Artillery School (United States). Suspension uses torsion bars and road wheel layouts parallel to other tracked platforms developed during the Eisenhower and Kennedy administrations.
The M107 entered U.S. service in the early 1960s and was assigned to heavy artillery battalions within corps-level artillery brigades patterned on Pentomic-era reorganizations and later Reorganization Objective Army Divisions. It deployed to theaters including bases in Western Europe tied to NATO commitments and to the Vietnam War for limited counterbattery and long-range interdiction roles alongside systems like the M101 howitzer and M114 howitzer. Several units of the United States Army rotated M107 batteries into contingency postings during crises involving NATO commands such as USAREUR. Exported examples served with the Israel Defense Forces, the Royal Thai Army, and the Republic of China Army (Taiwan), influencing regional artillery doctrine and procurement choices.
Production was limited but saw field modifications and limited official variants to address stability, recoil management, and mobility. Operator nations implemented localized upgrades influenced by experiences from units such as those participating in the Yom Kippur War and counterinsurgency operations. Common modifications included fire-control adaptations, communication suite upgrades compatible with NATO radiotelephone standards, and reinforcement of chassis structures paralleling upgrades carried out on other heavy tracked artillery platforms produced by manufacturers like Turbomeca-linked suppliers and domestic contractors under foreign military sales agreements.
In engagements, the M107 demonstrated long-range destructive capability against emplacement and area targets, with performance noted in after-action reports from conflicts involving the Israel Defense Forces and U.S. artillery units in Southeast Asia. Its 175 mm round delivered substantial blast and fragmentation effects useful in interdiction and counterbattery missions recorded in studies from United States Army Materiel Command analyses. However, the system's role was constrained by logistics, ammunition supply, and the need for secure firing zones in the face of counter-battery radars and attack aircraft operated by forces such as those fielded by Soviet Union-aligned states during the Cold War.
Survivability relied on dispersion, shoot-and-scoot procedures advocated by doctrine from the Field Artillery School (United States), and protection afforded by the vehicle's hull rather than heavy armor. Crew protection was limited against indirect fires, air-delivered munitions, and chemical threats; therefore units employed camouflage, fortification, and coordinated air defense cover provided by assets from commands like United States Air Force and NATO integrated air defenses. Lessons learned influenced later designs emphasizing reduced signature and enhanced automated fire-control found in successors fielded during post-Cold War reforms.
Primary operator: United States Army (1962–late 1970s/1980s in some reserve formations). Export and allied operators included the Israel Defense Forces, the Royal Thai Army, and the Republic of China Army (Taiwan), each of which integrated the system into national artillery formations and eventually retired or replaced it with more modern artillery such as tube and rocket systems adopted after the Cold War. Some examples entered museum collections and static displays associated with military history institutions and regimental museums tied to units that employed the platform.
Category:Self-propelled artillery Category:Cold War artillery of the United States