What is the difference between a cannon and a howitzer and a mortar? Howitzer: technical characteristics
Usually we call each weapon a cannon. This word appeared in the Russian language several centuries ago and comes from the verb “put” (a cannon fires a projectile).
But you can’t call any weapon a cannon. There are different types of guns, and artillerymen call them differently: cannon, howitzer, mortar.
Artillery in battle destroys enemy personnel located far or near, hits the enemy out of the blue or behind cover, shoots at trenches and pillboxes, at airplanes, at tanks. It is clear that all these tasks cannot be completed only with the help of a cannon. Over the past centuries, various types of tools have emerged, each of which performs a specific task.
If we divide the length of a gun barrel by its caliber, we get the “relative length” of the gun. A cannon is a weapon with the longest relative barrel length. A howitzer has less, and a mortar has even less.
The greater the relative length of the barrel, the greater the initial speed of the projectile, which manages to accelerate strongly while moving in a long barrel. Therefore, the cannon has the greatest range. Other types of weapons cannot compete with it.
When firing, the cannon usually has a small elevation angle - up to 20 degrees. The trajectory of a projectile fired at this angle is flat. An explosive projectile, moving at the end of the path at a very acute angle to the ground, usually hits a significant amount of enemy force with fragments.
It is convenient to shoot from a cannon at fast moving targets: cavalry, tanks. The projectile flies quickly - and the target does not have time to move.
The gun is also indispensable for shooting at distant targets. Long-range guns are always guns. An artillery duel is being waged between the British and the Germans across the Pas-de-Calais sea strait (distance - 40 - 50 kilometers).
Moving along a flat trajectory, a cannon shell cannot hit people hidden behind cover. True, if you give the gun a large elevation angle, then the projectile, having risen high, will fall along a steep trajectory. But such a use of a gun is unprofitable. The projectile will travel too long and unnecessary distance. To hit hidden targets, it is much more convenient to use a howitzer. It shoots at an elevation angle close to the angle of greatest range. Its projectile has a suspended trajectory, descends steeply and can hit even well-covered targets.
The initial velocity of a howitzer projectile is less than that of a cannon, therefore its barrel has a shorter relative length and the powder charge is lighter. The pressure force of the powder gases in the howitzer barrel is not as great as that of a cannon, and its walls are made thinner. This results in significant savings in metal and explosives.
With the same caliber, a howitzer weighs much less than a cannon, and with the same weight, the caliber of a howitzer is almost twice the caliber of a cannon. 7 A 6-mm cannon and a 122-mm howitzer weigh the same 2 tons. A 76-mm cannon throws a projectile weighing 6.5 kilograms with an initial speed of 600 meters per second, while a 122-mm howitzer has a projectile weighing 23.2 kilograms, since the caliber of the gun is much larger. The initial speed of a howitzer projectile is 335 meters per second.
The relative length of the mortar barrel is less than that of a howitzer, and the initial velocity of its projectile is also less. The flight of a mortar shell can be followed with the eye; it does not exceed 200 - 250 meters per second.
In the current war, mortars are almost never used at all. They were completely replaced by mortars - highly lightweight guns that are much simpler and more convenient than mortars.
Everyone knows how great the importance of artillery is in modern combat. The guns are capable of hitting enemy personnel, tanks and aircraft, and destroying the enemy located in open space and in shelters.
At the same time, a number of ordinary people mistakenly attribute all these merits to the cannon, having little idea what a howitzer is and how they differ.
Definition
Gun- one of the types of artillery guns with a long barrel and a high initial projectile speed and good range.
Howitzer is a type of artillery gun for mounted firing beyond the line of sight of the target from closed positions.
Comparison
The gun has a long barrel and a high muzzle velocity, making it convenient to use to hit moving objects. In addition, the cannon has the longest range of all types of guns. The gun's barrel elevation angle is small, and therefore the projectile flies along a flat trajectory. Such features make the gun very effective when firing directly. When firing fragmentation shells, the cannon is good for disabling enemy personnel (being at an acute angle to the surface, exploding, the shell covers a large area with fragments).
180 mm S-23 gun
The howitzer is primarily used for overhead shooting, while the servants often do not see the enemy. The howitzer's barrel length is shorter than that of a cannon, as is the gunpowder charge, as well as the muzzle velocity of the projectile. But the howitzer has a significant barrel elevation angle, thanks to which it can be used to shoot at targets located behind cover. Also, a howitzer is more profitable financially: the walls of its barrel are thinner, it requires less metal for production and gunpowder for firing than a cannon. The weight of a howitzer is much less than the weight of a gun with the same caliber.
The gun is more suitable for defensive actions. A howitzer, on the contrary, is for offensive purposes - it is capable of causing panic behind enemy lines, disrupting communications and control, and also creating a barrage of fire in front of its own attacking troops.
122 mm howitzer D-30
Conclusions website
- A cannon is an artillery weapon for flat firing with a high initial projectile velocity.
- Howitzer is a type of weapon for mounted firing from closed positions.
- The cannon's barrel is longer than that of the howitzer.
- The initial speed of a cannon is higher than that of a howitzer.
- It is most convenient to use a cannon to hit targets that are moving and located in open areas.
- The howitzer is designed for mounted firing at hidden targets.
- The cannon is the longest-range type of weapon.
- A howitzer is lighter than a cannon with the same calibers, and the powder charge of its shells is less.
- The gun is good in defense, the howitzer is good in attack.
The biggest guns
Surely many people don’t know the differences between a cannon, self-propelled gun, howitzer and mortar, so first a few smart words.
Gun- an artillery gun that fires along a flat trajectory. It is distinguished by a large barrel elongation against mortars and howitzers (40-80 calibers) and a smaller barrel elevation angle.
Howitzer– an artillery gun that fires along a hinged trajectory, i.e. from closed firing positions. The conditional boundary between a howitzer and a cannon barrel is considered to be its length of 40 calibers.
Mortar– an artillery gun from the enemy’s canopy by firing along an overhead trajectory.
self-propelled guns- a self-propelled artillery mount, without reference to the type of weapon, can be equipped with different types of artillery systems - a cannon (SU-100), or a howitzer (ISU-152).
Video to present the power of the 2S3M “Akatsiya”, with a terminal barrel (less than 15 calibers) for mounted shooting. Designed to destroy equipment and live weapons hidden behind walls and trenches, it is not a 2S19 MSTA, but is still capable of firing tactical nuclear warheads.
1. Mortar Little David (Little David) 914 mm
Experimental American mortar from the end of World War II. Despite a much more modest appearance than, for example, the Schwerer Gustav or Karl, it still holds the record for the largest caliber (914 mm or 36 inches) among all modern artillery
2. Tsar Cannon 890 mm
Medieval artillery gun (bombard), cast in bronze in 1586 by Russian master Andrei Chokhov at the Cannon Yard. The length of the gun is 5.34 m, the outer diameter of the barrel is 120 cm, the diameter of the patterned belt at the muzzle is 134 cm, the caliber is 890 mm, the weight is 39.31 tons (2400 pounds).
3. Dora gun 800 mm
Super-heavy railway artillery gun. Developed by Krupp (Germany) in the late 1930s. Intended to destroy the fortifications of the Maginot Line and fortifications on the border of Germany and Belgium. The gun is named after the wife of the chief designer.
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4. Mortar Karl 600 mm
German heavy self-propelled mortar from the Second World War. One of the most powerful self-propelled guns of its period. They were used to storm fortresses and heavily fortified enemy positions.
5. Tsar Cannon 508 mm (Perm)
The world's largest cast iron cannon, which is also a military weapon, the 20-inch Perm Tsar Cannon was manufactured in 1868 by order of the Naval Ministry at the Motovilikha Cast Iron Cannon Factory. It is not clear why the largest one is inferior in caliber to the Moscow 508 versus 890, and the barrel length is also 4.9 versus 5.34.
6. Mortar Big Bertha 420 mm
German 420 mm mortar. The mortar was intended to destroy particularly strong fortifications. The Bertha's rate of fire was 1 shot per 8 minutes, and the flight range of the 900-kg projectile was 14 km. All three types of shells used had enormous destructive power for that time.
7. Mortar launcher 2B2 Oka 420 mm
Soviet self-propelled 420 mm mortar unit. Rate of fire - 1 shot per 5 minutes. Firing range - 25 km, active-reactive mine - 50 km. Mine weight - 670 kg. Designed for firing nuclear charges. During testing, it was established that the monstrous recoil does not allow long-term operation of such a weapon. After which serial production was abandoned. There is only one “Oka” left in the metal out of four released.
8. Railway Gun Saint-Chamon 400 mm
In October 1914, the French government formed a special commission responsible for the creation of railway weapons, which, in turn, turned to the largest arms concerns with a proposal to develop large-caliber guns on railway transporters. Design and construction work took very little time, and already in May 1915, eight railway guns from the Schneider-Creuzot company appeared at the front, and a few months later the especially powerful 400-mm howitzers from the Saint-Chamon company received their baptism of fire.
9. Rodman Columbiad 381mm
Manufactured in 1863, it had a barrel with a caliber of 381 mm, and its weight reached 22.6 tons. The American Civil War contributed to the emergence of new types of weapons - armored ships and armored trains, and the creation of means of combating them - smooth-bore Columbiad guns, named after one of the first guns of this type.
10. Self-propelled gun 2A3 Capacitor 406 mm
Soviet self-propelled 406-mm gun SM-54 (2A3) for firing “Kondensator” nuclear ammunition. In 1957, the 2AZ self-propelled gun was paraded on Red Square and created a sensation among domestic citizens and foreign journalists. Some foreign experts have suggested that the cars shown at the parade are simply props, designed for a frightening effect. However, this was a real artillery system, fired at the training ground.
Since the appearance of artillery in the arsenals of the armies of different countries, there has been a need to specialize various types of guns according to their purpose. The constant improvement of defensive fortifications, offensive equipment and combat tactics has led to the division of powerful weapons into classes.
Ancient stone throwers
Actually, siege devices - the distant ancestors of artillery pieces - helped attacking warriors capture castles and fortresses long before the mass use of gunpowder began. In catapults and ballistas, to impart initial speed to projectiles (and these were usually stones, containers with boiling resin, large steles or logs), the elastic properties of stretchable ropes were used, into which metal wire was woven during manufacturing. The momentum accumulated during twisting was released at the moment the special lock was released. It was then that the word “howitzer” arose. The technical characteristics of the “stone-throwing machine” (this is how the word Haubitz is translated from German) were very modest, they fired at a couple of tens of meters and produced more of a psychological effect, although under certain conditions and good training in calculations they could well cause a fire (if the projectile was incendiary) . Advances in the field of lethal devices have led to an increased role for remote weapons.
Artillery classes
Beginning in the fourteenth century, European armies began to use artillery. Mortars at that time became the most powerful class of weapons. Even their very ominous name (derived from the Dutch mortier, which in turn borrowed the Latin root mort - “death”) indicated high lethal efficiency. Next in descending order was the howitzer, the technical characteristics of which (projectile weight and range) were somewhat inferior to those of the mortar. The cannon (canon) was considered the most common and mobile class. The calibers were different, but that was not the only problem. The main feature of the class of guns was the design of the barrel, which determined their purpose. Based on the structure of the artillery of the army of a particular state, even then it was possible to draw conclusions about the strategic plans and military doctrine of its government.
The evolution of mortars and howitzers
In World War I, the positional nature of the fighting prompted the belligerents to use heavy siege weapons. The word "mortar" fell out of use shortly after the victory over Nazi Germany in 1945. Short-barreled, thick monsters gave way to lighter, large-caliber mortars and attack bomber aircraft. After the inclusion of missiles, including ballistic ones, in the arsenals of almost all countries, the need for using heavy, difficult to transport and clumsy weapons was completely exhausted. The latest attempts to use them were the attempts of German designers to create some monsters of terrifying size, like the “Karl”, which had a caliber of 600 mm. The main difference of this outdated class was a short barrel with thick walls. The large elevation angle approximately corresponded to the modern mortar indicator. The cap method of loading, which remains today mainly for powerful ship and coastal guns, also did not contribute to the popularity of mortars. Explosives have a large specific surface area, they are hygroscopic, and in the conditions of a real front it is almost impossible to ensure storage conditions at a fixed humidity. But the mass of the projectile and the firing range of the howitzer became such that it became quite possible to assign to this class of artillery the functions that the mortar had previously performed.
Parabolic trajectories, or Why are howitzers needed?
To answer this question, we should first consider the different classes of tools. Everyone knows that a physical body fired at an initial linear speed, be it an ordinary pebble or a bullet, flies not in a straight line, but in a parabola. The parameters of this figure may be different, but with the same starting impulse, an increase in the elevation angle will lead to a decrease in the horizontal distance over which this object will fly. The height will be maximum at a right angle to the horizontal, but in this case there is a risk that the launched projectile (or the same pebble) will fall directly on the thrower’s head. The steepness of the trajectory is what distinguishes a howitzer from a cannon. It also determines the purpose of the weapon.
In what cases and what to shoot from?
If we assume that the enemy is trying to take possession of the positions of any army, then an attack should be expected from him. Tanks and infantry, supported by attack aircraft, will rush to the previously shelled fortified area. In response, the defending side will use countermeasures and fire from its own artillery and small arms. But if an attack is expected, then appropriate field fortifications will be first erected, full-profile trenches will be dug, bunkers and bunkers will be built, the firing sectors of which will make it difficult to clear the defense zone. In general, each side will do everything to complicate the enemy’s actions. In this situation, fire on defending units buried in the ground can only be conducted along a trajectory called a canopy. Flat (that is, almost parallel to the horizon) shooting will be ineffective: enemy soldiers are securely hidden behind parapets and other defensive structures. An ordinary gun will be almost useless. A howitzer, the characteristics of which are mounted, will help “smoke out” the defenders from trenches and dugouts, raining shells on their heads directly from the sky. The guns are fired by those who are defending themselves. They need to destroy as many enemy tanks and soldiers running towards the positions as possible. They are trying to repel the attack.
Howitzer caliber
The tasks of modern howitzer artillery have gone far beyond the previously outlined circle. The projectile's projectile trajectory is good not only for hitting manpower hidden in trenches and dugouts, but also for other purposes. Fortified areas are often protected by a thick layer of reinforced concrete and dug deep into the ground. The frontal armor of tanks and other armored vehicles can withstand the impact of many armor-piercing weapons, while at the same time it has more vulnerable spots on top. If a conventional gun achieves high accuracy due to the high initial velocity of the projectile, then one of the conditions for achieving the last parameter is the relatively low weight of this very projectile. A large caliber is what distinguishes a howitzer from a cannon. This class of guns requires 100mm shells, and there are also larger ones.
B-4
A howitzer is a heavy weapon, and this property, combined with its offensive purpose, creates certain difficulties. An example of its rather successful use is the famous B-4 (52-G-625), created in the thirties and saw through the entire war. The mass of the gun, including the carriage, the barrel with recoil parts and the swinging part, exceeds 17 (!) tons. In order to move it, you need a tractor-tractor. In order to reduce the specific load on the ground, a tracked chassis was used. The caliber of this gun is 203 mm, or 8 inches. The projectile is difficult to lift; it weighs from a hundredweight to 145 kilograms (concrete-piercing version), so the ammunition is supplied via a special roller conveyor. The crew consists of fifteen people. With a relatively low initial projectile speed (from 300 to 600 m/s), the firing range of the B-4 howitzer exceeds 17 km. The maximum rate of fire is one shot in two minutes. The gun had enormous destructive power, as was demonstrated during the assault on the Mannerheim Line during the Winter War with Finland. However, within a few years it became clear that the future belonged to self-propelled artillery systems.
SU-152
The next step taken by Soviet designers towards creating the most advanced self-propelled guns was the SU-152. It served as a kind of response to the appearance of powerfully armored German tanks, equipped with long-barreled guns, allowing them to fire at our vehicles from long distances (a kilometer or more). The surest way to destroy a well-protected target was to cover it with a heavy projectile flying along a suspended parabolic trajectory. A 152 mm howitzer of ML-20 caliber, mounted on a tank (KV) chassis with a fixed wheelhouse and equipped with rotation mechanisms, turned out to be a means capable of solving this problem.
"Carnation"
The post-war period in the military-technical aspect is characterized as a time of rapid growth of technological capabilities. Jet propulsion is replacing piston aircraft engines. Some of the tasks traditionally assigned to artillerymen are beginning to be solved by rocket men. However, at the same time, there is a reassessment of the relationship between efficiency and price. The Cold War, in a certain sense, also became a competition of economic systems. The times when “price was not a consideration” are over. It turned out that the cost of one artillery shot is significantly lower than the launch of a tactical missile with approximately equal effectiveness, expressed in destructive power. The USSR did not immediately understand this: the Khrushchev leadership fell into a certain euphoria after the appearance of missile delivery vehicles in the arsenal. In 1967, the Kharkov Tractor Plant (of course) developed the Gvozdika, the first Soviet “flower” self-propelled howitzer. The technical characteristics significantly exceeded the parameters of all artillery pieces produced by the military-industrial complex of the USSR earlier. The use of active-missile projectiles (a kind of hybrid of artillery ammunition with a rocket) was envisaged; in this case, the firing range increased from 15.3 kilometers to 21.9. The charges could be different: cumulative, high-explosive fragmentation, electronic (causing interference), smoke and others, including special (chemical). The large distance to the final point of the trajectory made it possible to use weapons of mass destruction. The lightly armored hull contained an ammunition load of forty shells.
"Acacia"
The howitzer, developed in the mid to late sixties, entered service in 1970. It can shoot at a distance of 20-30 km (depending on modification). The vehicle itself is quite light, weighing much less than an average tank, which was achieved by reducing the weight of the armor. Direct fire is also possible, but the main purpose remains the same - remotely hitting targets. The chassis is made according to a front-engine design, which proved its worth back in the war years. The design took into account the experience of creating the SAU-100, and the incentive for the reminiscence was the presence of the Americans' M-109 gun, capable of firing a low-power nuclear tactical charge (TNT equivalent of 100 tons). The answer was “Acacia” - a howitzer with no worse characteristics.
Czech "Dana"
Most often, armies were armed with Soviet models of military equipment, but there were exceptions. Obviously, remembering its past glory (and before World War II, Czechoslovakia was one of the leading arms manufacturers in Europe and the world), engineers from Czechoslovakia in the mid-seventies designed and manufactured a new artillery gun, which had a number of outstanding tactical and technical data for that time. The Dana self-propelled howitzer was distinguished by a high rate of fire (one shot per minute), had a relatively small crew (6 people), but its main advantage was the remarkable Tatra chassis, with high maneuverability, maneuverability and speed. The country's leadership even considered the possibility of purchasing this Czech miracle for the needs of the Soviet Army, but knowing that our country was working on creating its own, even more advanced howitzer guns, they abandoned this idea, limiting themselves to purchasing several copies to study the “brotherly experience.” " The Dana self-propelled howitzer is still in service today in Poland, Libya and several other countries, where this weapon was supplied after the collapse of the USSR. During the Georgian-Ossetian conflict, the Russian Army captured three Danas as trophies.
D-30: artillery classic
With all the abundance of systems, the cheapest option remains a conventional wheeled howitzer. The Soviet-made 152mm gun is known throughout the world for its distinctive silhouette. In the combat position, the carriage, unfolding, rests its three frames completely on the ground, so that the wheels do not touch the ground, which provides, on the one hand, a reliable support, and on the other, allows for all-round firing. The main characteristic of the D-30 howitzer is its firing range of up to 5.3 km, which is quite sufficient in most cases. Transporting the gun is not a problem: it weighs 3.2 tons, which makes it possible to transport it across almost all bridges, and a regular Ural can be used as a tractor. Simplicity, reliability and high efficiency are the characteristic features of Russian weapons. D-30 and D-30A are willingly purchased by different countries for defense needs, and some of them (China, Yugoslavia, Egypt, Iraq) found it necessary to purchase documentation for their production. And this howitzer performs another important function. The photo in which the traditional midday salvo is fired in the Peter and Paul Fortress certainly adorns this weapon.
Shield and sword
Russian howitzers are an indispensable component of the country's artillery and missile shield. Their offensive purpose does not indicate the aggressiveness of the military doctrine, but not a single army in the world excludes the possibility of attacking or delivering preemptive strikes, right? In addition, few types of artillery have undergone such significant changes and universalization of functionality as the howitzer. The technical characteristics of this weapon make it possible to use it for firing along a flat trajectory, that is, to use it for defense, including anti-tank.
And gunpowder must always be kept dry.
Usually we call each weapon a cannon. This word appeared in the Russian language several centuries ago and comes from the verb “put” (a cannon fires a projectile).
But you can’t call any weapon a cannon. There are different types of guns, and artillerymen call them differently: cannon, howitzer, mortar.
Artillery in battle destroys enemy personnel located far or near, hits the enemy out of the blue or behind cover, shoots at trenches and pillboxes, at airplanes, at tanks. It is clear that all these tasks cannot be completed only with the help of a cannon. Over the past centuries, various types of tools have emerged, each of which performs a specific task.
If we divide the length of a gun barrel by its caliber, we get the “relative length” of the gun. A cannon is a weapon with the longest relative barrel length. A howitzer has less, and a mortar has even less.
The greater the relative length of the barrel, the greater the initial speed of the projectile, which manages to accelerate strongly while moving in a long barrel. Therefore, the cannon has the greatest range. Other types of weapons cannot compete with it.
When firing, the cannon usually has a small elevation angle - up to 20 degrees. The trajectory of a projectile fired at this angle is flat. An explosive projectile, moving at the end of the path at a very acute angle to the ground, usually hits a significant amount of enemy force with fragments.
It is convenient to shoot from a cannon at fast moving targets: cavalry, tanks. The projectile flies quickly - and the target does not have time to move.
The gun is also indispensable for shooting at distant targets. Long-range guns are always guns. An artillery duel is being waged between the British and the Germans across the Pas-de-Calais sea strait (distance - 40 - 50 kilometers).
Moving along a flat trajectory, a cannon shell cannot hit people hidden behind cover. True, if you give the gun a large elevation angle, then the projectile, having risen high, will fall along a steep trajectory. But such a use of a gun is unprofitable. The projectile will travel too long and unnecessary distance. To hit hidden targets, it is much more convenient to use a howitzer. It shoots at an elevation angle close to the angle of greatest range. Its projectile has a suspended trajectory, descends steeply and can hit even well-covered targets.
The initial velocity of a howitzer projectile is less than that of a cannon, therefore its barrel has a shorter relative length and the powder charge is lighter. The pressure force of the powder gases in the howitzer barrel is not as great as that of a cannon, and its walls are made thinner. This results in significant savings in metal and explosives.
With the same caliber, a howitzer weighs much less than a cannon, and with the same weight, the caliber of a howitzer is almost twice the caliber of a cannon. 7 A 6-mm cannon and a 122-mm howitzer weigh the same 2 tons. A 76-mm cannon throws a projectile weighing 6.5 kilograms with an initial speed of 600 meters per second, while a 122-mm howitzer has a projectile weighing 23.2 kilograms, since the caliber of the gun is much larger. The initial speed of a howitzer projectile is 335 meters per second.
The relative length of the mortar barrel is less than that of a howitzer, and the initial velocity of its projectile is also less. The flight of a mortar shell can be followed with the eye; it does not exceed 200 - 250 meters per second.
In the current war, mortars are almost never used at all. They were completely replaced by mortars - highly lightweight guns that are much simpler and more convenient than mortars.