FH70

The FH70 (Field Howitzer for the 1970s) was developed to satisfy NATO Basic Military Requirement 39 for towed or tracked close support artillery. In 1968, the United Kingdom and West Germany established agreed operational characteristics for the system, with Italy joining the development program in 1970. Vickers Ltd served as the coordinating design authority and carriage designer, while Rheinmetall GmbH was responsible for the elevating mass, sights, and the auxiliary power unit. The United Kingdom’s Royal Armament Research and Development Establishment designed the high-explosive projectile and charge system. The howitzer was intended to replace the M114 155 mm howitzer in German service and the 5.5-inch gun in British regiments. The equipment entered full operational service with the British Army in 1980.

The FH70 is a towed 155 mm howitzer featuring a 39-calibre barrel with a vertical sliding-block breech and a magazine containing 12 primers. It utilizes a split trail carriage and a turntable sole plate. An on-board Volkswagen auxiliary power unit (APU) provides hydraulic power to assist in bringing the gun into and out of action and enables low-speed self-propulsion without an artillery tractor. The system employs flick-ramming and one-man laying, which allows for operation by a minimum detachment of four personnel. Fire control data is managed through an electronic display that integrates with the azimuth and elevation sights, and the howitzer is equipped with a direct fire telescope.

Ammunition for the FH70 conforms to the Quadrilateral Ballistics Agreement between the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, and Italy. The standard L15 high-explosive shell uses a thin-wall design, and the propellant system consists of three bagged cartridges. While the howitzer is capable of firing standard US 155 mm munitions, variations in US primer dimensions have been found to affect the reliability of the primer magazine’s feed system.

Operational use revealed several design limitations. The tube feed system proved sensitive to dust contamination, requiring the development of specific cleaning procedures. The trails required structural reinforcement in 1987 due to stress incurred during towing. The auxiliary power unit drive train and the external hydraulic housing also presented reliability and vulnerability challenges in field conditions.

The FH70 is operated by several nations, including Italy, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Morocco. Japan manufactured the system under license through Japan Steel Works. The United Kingdom deployed the howitzer in direct support of infantry brigades and within the Territorial Army until its retirement in 1999. Germany phased out the system in 2002. Following the 2022 Russian intervention in Ukraine, several nations transferred FH70 units to the Ukrainian military. Italy provided units from its inventory, and Estonia donated its entire stock of FH70 artillery to Ukraine in 2023.