FH-70 155 mm Towed Howitzer - DITCHED BY AMERICA?!

I was part of the Battery that ran the trials in the UK. This would have been in 1978 - It was a very capable Howitzer - We had Foden Trucks to pull them. We easily achieved 6 rounds a minute with a well trained crew of six. We were not use to the semi automatic loading and some guys lost a finger in the first six months. In fact I remember one display at Larkhill where we drove on to the stand, deployed and fired six rounds, and started to drive off before the first round loaded on the impact area (about 30 seconds). Direct fire on tanks took off the turret with HE shell and no need for a HESH development 🙂

I didn't believe my eyes until I saw the flag on the sleeve. THE FOOTAGE IS FROM ESTONIA, my homeland.

0:31 poor guy tripped lol

In the Eighties as 1 st Lt, I served with the FH70 in the oldest Italian artillery regiment (from 1851until today). Maybe because they were still quite new but we did not encounter all those reliability problems mentioned in the video. A notable element was the speed when towed. We trained in continuous changes of position, so as to escape a possible counter battery fire, without wasting time hooking to the tractors, the ability of autonomous movement was very appreciated. In off road it was maybe a little funny, especially when the plate was rocking and ringing like a bell, but fast enough.

I'll never forget driving fast in convoy with howitzers in tow back in the 60s. No GPS, all maps and survey instruments (theodolites) and forward observers. Set up fire control, survey in the howitzers, and fire spotter rounds. When on target, fire battery for effect. I did both forward observer and fire control jobs as an officer.

I was an apprentice fitter and worked on the first prototype in Vickers, Barrow - In - Furness, England, in 1969. Fabulous to know they're still being used 50 years later. Not a bad gun I think.

0:31 not my proudest moment as a loader. The slope was wet and muddy... not suitable for quick footwork.

Every time I hear towed howitzer, I'm hearing toad howitzer

I really liked this gun....greetings from the former german Mountain Artillery Battalion 225

Girls first car: Honda Civic
Boys first car: FH-70 155mm Towed Howitzer

I work for the company who made the UK version. still repaired them until about 2 years ago.

In '82-'83,,I was on special duty in the national guard,,too hard to describe,, here,,my platoon of M48A5's were going up a hill,,just before we crested,,,,BOOM!!,,BOOM!!,,BOOM!!....A battery of 175's LET LOOSE!!...We were in no REAL danger,,but if you think being BEHIND one of those HITS you in the FACE!,, YOU HAVE NOOOO IDEA!!!! We hung out for a while,,watching and LISTENING to the shells flying to the impact area...SOOO COOOL!!!

Guten Abend an der FH-70 war ich Richtkanonier zu meiner Bundeswehr zeit 1986 .Danke fûr das Video . Grüße aus Nürnberg.Deutschland

This harkens me back to 1954 when I joined a US Marine Reserve unit which had a single, 155mm "Long Tom" gun. The gun could be fired in either direct fire mode or as a howitzer and had a range of 24,000 yards or 22 km when firing a 100 pound armor piercing round. By the time I went on active duty in 1956 the reserve unit was equipped with a huge 155mm self propelled gun, but I don't recall much about it.

Very informative Video, and brings back some memories. My Bundeswehr service time in the late eighties was on this gun (Feldartilleriebataillon 21).

Already shipped to Ukraine and beats rashists.Thanks Italy .💛💙

Fun fact about this gun. The JGSDF version has Subaru's 1800cc for APU.

As a cannoneer I've never heard of this gun thanks for the video

I wish I could have used this weapon system but at the same time I loved working on the M777A2

Egypt is using & producing the Finish artillery GH-52 APU 155mmm

20 years ago, a retired Major told me the reverse azimuth on incoming shells could be quickly calculated. He commanded mobile units that fired a few rounds then rapidly moved before the enemy could hit their location.

Matsimus !!!
Thank You for another incredibly informative video!!
What do I mean by that?
1) The FH70 makes an awfull lot of sense in conjunction with Your 105 mm!
The main difference is that the 105 mm is deployable/placeable with a Merlin (Cormorant to You nutcases) helicopter.
Now the 105 mm. makes an awfull lot of sense - if it can be fired from a PREPARED position with some timber logs to catch shell fragments. Such prepared positions are easy to make and comparatively cheap - given you have a wooded area. If you need to change position - then have 5(?) prepared for each gun. If they cost next to nothing it can be done.
2) I have noted that Denmark/Norway/Holland have formed a "Special Forces Command". Now Holland has 15 of these FH70 in wartime reserve. Where you can deploy a 105 mm with a Merlin, that can carry 5½ tons underslung. The 105 mm weighs 2½ tons. The problem is then: The FH70 weighs 9½ tons and there is no way on Gods green earth a Merlin will be able to haul that: That needs a Chinook.
Strangely enough Holland has 155 mm FH-70 AND Chinooks.
3) Now there is something called tactics.
If the 155 mm can cover a withdrawal of the 105 mm with base bleed munition (and the crew is in a level 2 protected vehicle - alternatively blow up the gun and have spares in the prepared positions for the 155 mm - as long as you get the crew out).
Then the 105 mm. can cover the withdrawal of the 155 mm.
4) During the cold war the Soviet problem was NOT finding the proposed sites for the Pershing II and cruise missiles: They knew to a meter precisely where they were! That was only what was to be expected with so many traitors and informants. Nope! The problem was the sheer number of proposed sites. If you have to cover - say - 5 sites with artillery or nukes then you in effect rain terror over a lot of dummies - and run out of ammo.
5) The problem with the tactics is you need a divisional command to control such a force - which just might be the reason why such an animal is formed in Latvia? Pure guesswork on my behalf - I have a vivid imagination.
Am I inadvertently giving a deep military secret away? Possibly! Only problem with that is: If the dear ruskie bastards haven't figured it out, they are so stupid that they better commit suicide before their own firing squad catches up with them.
We KNOW there is a traitor in the Defence Committee in Denmark and in the Army command (has just recieved a 2 month prison sentence for banging not a canon, but his mistress promoted to major).
Do the ruskies think we are so stupid, that we have not thouht of the possibilty of such a contingency?
"How big an idiot do you have to be to be a member of the Russian Intelligence?"
That is a slight rephrasing of the economist Jean Robinsons scorn over one of the times the enviromentalists had a holy grail - in that instance called the Rome Club (most of You will be to young to remember that particular stupidity).
Why do the russians think, that a tactic on their part that allready has failed abyssmally should be a success the second time around?
But if I on the available public information is able to produce a tactic from my posterior - maybe they should reconsider their war plan regroup and kill some russian generals? Just a suggestion......

Going from watching a video on Wojtek the artillery bear, to a video on an artillery piece......perfect.

Remember my Fex with 154 battery field artillery of the Royal dutch army in 97 i was added to replace a 10 ton munitions driver/worker and went on a two weeks exercise with this unit at Münster süd.
The unit used the M114 originally but acquired the Fh70 to prevent them from wearing fast.
The Volkswagen Beetle engine on the gun was a nice feature all German. 😉

Amazing tool!!

would like to hear, see a review on the G5 155

Hi Matt thanks for keep posting videos during this hard time. Anyway if you don't mind me asking, what happen to most of your video? I was trying to watch your older armored vehicle reviews on the playlist "military equipment, tanks, combat equipment" but most of those videos aren't longer available. Cheers Matt

I use to be the number 7 on this back in 88, it steers via a paddle valve and if you don't re Centre the trail wheels it would just go around in circles so you had to constantly tap it left and right to keep going in a straight line!! Uk 45 fld regt RA Colchester

I worked on this 30 odd years ago. tri national build. Italy (Sights) UK (Trail legs and Hydraulics ) Germany (Ordnance and APU) And guess which bits went tits up most often ? Correct the British built bits !We also became the only 19 gun regt in BAOR for a brief time. We had a gun in LAD which we couldn't get parts for (Trail leg I think or a Jockey wheel) Anyway it sat in LAD so long it was cannabilised to repair other guns. Some bright spark thought it was a good idea to just demand a new gun . AFG 890 duly submitted , Jolly jape chaps chuckle chuckle ...and it was, until the new Gun FH 70 complete as per CES actually turned up ! Which was nice , until RAOC decided they wanted the old one back !!! Carnage !!! We literally rebuilt it from nuts and bolts I still have a photo of me and another Gun God with an ISPL and a box of bits on a bench. This would have been about 1983.

Hello very well delivered you have a excellent voice, you belong in radio 📻 Matsimus. Saludos Bro

This is a lot of manpower for one gun.

excellent video, can you do a video explaining how old school howitzers like this are aimed?

The guy that fell over in the intro 😂😂

I know the m777 is preferred because of the high tech systems, but I prefer the lower tech stuff. I find them much more durable and reliable.

Thanks for the great report Matt. This weapon served honourably for 40 years. Unfortunately, it looks like a sitting duck in 2020. It can't shoot and scoot like a self-propelled. Seeing all those stationary gunners potentially exposed to a Russian or Chinese long-range missile barrage, or air strike, is not a good thing. If it can be exported to countries that are not confronted by a near-peer opponent, that is a big win.

My service time was on this gun.
Hydraulic failure did occure on my gun during manouvers.
Always wanted tracked artillery. PZH2000 or even M109 would have been fine.
Living in the winter mud was not fun.
Army time was a lifetime experience, but frankly wasted time.
Getting up early, then doing nothing, mostly sitting and waiting for lunch or dinner time.
All in the 2000s, so no www.

Hey Matt, the GV6 and GV5 are very interesting medium howitzers and would make a good video. They are also some of the most potent pieces in their class

I believe we had m 198's when I was In the Marine in 91

Those things can still put a lot of HE where you want and do a lot damage once it gets there. With something like a 20 mile range not everyone is going to have something handy to swat it for doing so either.

Spend hours on my class 1 course in 1980 Boredom (Bordon) learning about the Foden Gun tractor for but never worked on it and the FH70 went out of service very quickly.

Not to be confused with similar Bofors FH-77 xD

Hello, a very good Video. Only one mistake the german FH70 has a gasoline engine. 100% not a diesel.

Question for the artillerists in the audience - what's with the kneeling away from the gun while firing? What is that in aid of? I remember something about air pressure, but not clearly.

Interesting to see them not swabbing the chamber between rounds.

I'd like to think i know a thing or 2 about small arms, but allmost nothing about artilley.
But first time I see an artillery piece being loaded like a battleship: first a projectile and then a bag of propellant instead of a shell (which ejects after each shot)
Does a "regular" howitzer use a shell or the projectile+propellant combination?

Can you do one on FH77?

Hey Mat! When u get a chance if you can sir, could you do a video on the 155 Field Howitzer 77B known as "The bofors gun"

I have three words for the Brass who want to go fancy high tech: Electro Magnetic Pluse.

Matsimus,
I'd love to hear your opinion on the new "frag" grenade the US military is considering, or is it a done deal?
IMO it one of those things that look goid on paper, but the idea of adding this level of complexity to something as simple as a grenade, seems insane. It has an adjustible timing fuse, and can be switched between frag and concussion.

Please make a video too on Bofors/Bae Fh-77B

Hey Matsimus ! Great video as always. Since you mentioned the M-777 I have a question for you - what is the purpose of the little projection on the chin of that gun ? I thought it might be some sort of sensor but I have no idea what needs sensing. Any ideas ?

There is an example on the forecourt of a café in Norfolk England. Also a Hunter jet, an Abbot SPG and other fighting vehicles.

Ammunition
The new projectiles conformed to the Quadrilateral Ballistics Agreement between US, UK, Germany and Italy. In essence, this meant a shell with the same shape and dimensions as the US M549 rocket-assisted projectile. The standard HE shell (UK designation L15) is a thin wall design weighing 43.5 kg and containing 11.3 kg of HE. This remains the largest HE load for a standard 155mm shell.
The propellant system comprises three different bagged cartridges with triple-base propellant. Cartridge 1 gives charges 1 & 2, Cartridge 2 give charges 3-7 and Cartridge 3 is charge 8, which gives a maximum range under standard conditions of 24.7 km.
Each nation developed its own fuzes and ammunition packaging. In the UK's case, this led to the Unit Load Container carrying 17 complete rounds, including shells with fuzes fitted - a novelty for 155 mm.
Standard US pattern 155 mm ammunition can also be fired, although US primers proved problematic for the primer magazine and feed due to their variation in size.
VOLCANO MUNITION
Under the name Vulcano, the Italian company Leonardo-Oto Melara has identified a new family of bullets for its 127mm naval cannon also in the 64 calibre version and for the 155 mm howitzers, both the trailed Fh-70 cannon and those that equip the self-propelled M109 and PzH 2000; these bullets have the characteristic of having an extended range compared to traditional ammunition of the same calibre and, for some versions, a guidance system that allows precision attacks against naval or land targets.
The same projectile can be fired from different calibres (127 mm and 155 mm) as it is undercalibrated and cambered by means of disposable spacers in the same way as APFSDS projectiles, the precise denomination for this type of ammunition is HEFSDS (High Explosives Fin Stabilized Discarding Sabot), i.e. a high explosiveness, fin stabilized, casing abandonment projectile.
The ammunition consists of two sections, with the front component with canard fins and the rear part with spacer fins. The front part contains the warhead and has 6 fins. In all, the bullet weighs about 20 kg with 2.5 kg of explosive.
The ammunition will be of 3 types:
Ballistic Extended Range (BER) - basic unguided version that can reach 70 km and can be used against any type of naval, land or air targets.
Guided Long Range (GLR) - anti-ship version guided in the final by an infrared (IR) sensor that starts searching for the target at a distance of 6 km and at an altitude of 2.5 km. It can reach 70 km or even 90 km if fired from the 64 gauge barrel. The warhead explodes after penetrating the hull of the target ship. Oto Melara indicates a "kill probability" of 80% with the first shot against a ship the size of a frigate.
Guided Long Range (GLR) - fully guided ammunition via GPS and IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit). The bullet is fired up to a height of 25 km where it is guided by the IMU system constantly updated by the GPS continuing at supersonic speed with a constant angle of descent. The last phase of the flight takes place in nosedive on the target.
The concept of the new munitions family "Vulcano" has been developed by Leonardo-OTO Melara of La Spezia and provides for an under-calibrated non self-propelled ammunition equipped, in the guided version, with aerodynamic governments, inertial navigation/GPS and, in some subtypes, with a terminal guidance system, characterized by a very high range and a very high accuracy (CEP < 20m).
A first differentiation between ammunition that is being developed under the Program can be made between unguided and guided ammunition, called Extended Range and Long Range respectively. The calibers under development are 155mm in the land version and 127mm in the naval version.
The trajectory of unguided ammunition is conventional ballistic ammunition with a range of up to 70 km, while the range of the guided versions will reach 100 km when fired from cannon cal. 127/54C and 120 km when fired from the new cannon cal. 127/64LW. For the cal. 155mm the expected range is up to 100 km. These ranges will be achievable thanks to a very high initial velocity of the bullets and very low aerodynamic coefficients when compared to those of large caliber ammunition in service. The projectiles are equipped with a multi-function fuse, based on microwave technology and programmable with altimetric, proximity, impact, delayed impact or time functionality.
The main difference in the terrestrial versions, apart from the calibre, is the different configuration of the propellant assembly, specifically designed to ensure total compatibility with the PzH2000 self-propelled howitzer loading system. Ammunition
The new projectiles conformed to the Quadrilateral Ballistics Agreement between US, UK, Germany and Italy. In essence, this meant a shell with the same shape and dimensions as the US M549 rocket-assisted projectile. The standard HE shell (UK designation L15) is a thin wall design weighing 43.5 kg and containing 11.3 kg of HE. This remains the largest HE load for a standard 155mm shell.
The propellant system comprises three different bagged cartridges with triple-base propellant. Cartridge 1 gives charges 1 & 2, Cartridge 2 give charges 3-7 and Cartridge 3 is charge 8, which gives a maximum range under standard conditions of 24.7 km.
Each nation developed its own fuzes and ammunition packaging. In the UK's case, this led to the Unit Load Container carrying 17 complete rounds, including shells with fuzes fitted - a novelty for 155 mm.
Standard US pattern 155 mm ammunition can also be fired, although US primers proved problematic for the primer magazine and feed due to their variation in size.
VOLCANO MUNITION
Under the name Vulcano, the Italian company Leonardo-Oto Melara has identified a new family of bullets for its 127mm naval cannon also in the 64 calibre version and for the 155 mm howitzers, both the trailed Fh-70 cannon and those that equip the self-propelled M109 and PzH 2000; these bullets have the characteristic of having an extended range compared to traditional ammunition of the same calibre and, for some versions, a guidance system that allows precision attacks against naval or land targets.
The same projectile can be fired from different calibres (127 mm and 155 mm) as it is undercalibrated and cambered by means of disposable spacers in the same way as APFSDS projectiles, the precise denomination for this type of ammunition is HEFSDS (High Explosives Fin Stabilized Discarding Sabot), i.e. a high explosiveness, fin stabilized, casing abandonment projectile.
The ammunition consists of two sections, with the front component with canard fins and the rear part with spacer fins. The front part contains the warhead and has 6 fins. In all, the bullet weighs about 20 kg with 2.5 kg of explosive.
The ammunition will be of 3 types:
Ballistic Extended Range (BER) - basic unguided version that can reach 70 km and can be used against any type of naval, land or air targets.
Guided Long Range (GLR) - anti-ship version guided in the final by an infrared (IR) sensor that starts searching for the target at a distance of 6 km and at an altitude of 2.5 km. It can reach 70 km or even 90 km if fired from the 64 gauge barrel. The warhead explodes after penetrating the hull of the target ship. Oto Melara indicates a "kill probability" of 80% with the first shot against a ship the size of a frigate.
Guided Long Range (GLR) - fully guided ammunition via GPS and IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit). The bullet is fired up to a height of 25 km where it is guided by the IMU system constantly updated by the GPS continuing at supersonic speed with a constant angle of descent. The last phase of the flight takes place in nosedive on the target.
The concept of the new munitions family "Vulcano" has been developed by Leonardo-OTO Melara of La Spezia and provides for an under-calibrated non self-propelled ammunition equipped, in the guided version, with aerodynamic governments, inertial navigation/GPS and, in some subtypes, with a terminal guidance system, characterized by a very high range and a very high accuracy (CEP < 20m).
A first differentiation between ammunition that is being developed under the Program can be made between unguided and guided ammunition, called Extended Range and Long Range respectively. The calibers under development are 155mm in the land version and 127mm in the naval version.
The trajectory of unguided ammunition is conventional ballistic ammunition with a range of up to 70 km, while the range of the guided versions will reach 100 km when fired from cannon cal. 127/54C and 120 km when fired from the new cannon cal. 127/64LW. For the cal. 155mm the expected range is up to 100 km. These ranges will be achievable thanks to a very high initial velocity of the bullets and very low aerodynamic coefficients when compared to those of large caliber ammunition in service. The projectiles are equipped with a multi-function fuse, based on microwave technology and programmable with altimetric, proximity, impact, delayed impact or time functionality.
The main difference in the terrestrial versions, apart from the calibre, is the different configuration of the propellant assembly, specifically designed to ensure total compatibility with the PzH2000 self-propelled howitzer loading system.

Servi de 76/78 em uma Unidade de Antiaérea e tinha uma peça acho que de 150mm tem uma parte da canção da Artilharia ( Quer de Costa Antiaerea ou de Campanha eu Domino no Mar no Céu na Terra Quer no Forte no Campo ou na Montanha Vibra mais no Canhão a Voz da Guerra) Saudações Antiaéreas

Please do a video about the Panzerhaubitze2000
Greetings from Germany

Just wonderin sir mat, why did made your other vids about military equipment private?

Nice video.

Do they take turns firing? Or do they keep the slowest guy on the chair cuz that seems like the job I'd want

2nd..thanks Mat. Nice video

Hey Matt why are almost all of your videos hidden as private?

um spark diesel ? I thought diesel engines used compression ignition , is there more info on this ?
what is being ejected at the end of requile I did not see anything, nor any casings ?
why dos it take so much pumping to rais the breach with a hydraulic system ? is that just for elevating the barle and traversing the gun

This gun and others like it will still be held in reserve for decades in case SHTF and hundreds of brigades/divisions/regiments and thousands of battalions and smaller units are required WW2 style but without needing years to the kit,
I wonder how many battalions equipt to a reasonable level could be raised today from reserve equipment with some new equipment topping off older Reserve stored kit if an allied military force needed to be raised quickly in a world war scenario,
That would be an interesting vid.

Last time I came this early nearly nobody in the West knew about the city of Vuhan

I started out in Arti those shook hard and kept us busy

How does rocket assisted ammo for this thing work?

You should make it a thing to have a 155 Friday

Iv always wondered. The explosions artillery make are fairly small (relative to where the enemy could be). And they shoot fairly slowly. So how are they so affective at taking out the enemy at such a long range?

with Leonardo's Volcano ammunition it can fire to 70 or even 85km range. So it's not that bad

Hey im early to a matsimus video, this is something i am proud of.

This is a pretty crazy coincidence. I was thinking earlier today if Germany stilled used any traditional artillery pieces and found the FH-70. Then you post a video on it 3 hours later

Hello thanks nice video 📹 love cannonballs. My best friend spended 25 years in the USA ARMY in the artillery but he can't shoot a rifle to funny. Saludos Bro

Hey matt can you do a talk on russian 2S4 tyulpan?

@Matsimus Well this post was hidden until today (I have all notifications turned on) just f.y.i.

Too nice video of artillery 155mm ..are its considering as battle field...cannon ?24-30 km with rocket system using 👍

I actually don't see where the M777 is "superior" to the FH-70.
The FH-70 is motorized and can move on its own - the M777 can't.
The FH-70 looks like it can be operated by 4-5 crew. The M777 needs 4 people just to adjust the gun elevation and traverse and another 4 to load a shell(there are always 10 people standing around an M777).
The FH-70 can be built in different countries, the M777 is mostly and only built in the USA.
Both are 155mm 39 caliber length(except for the experimental M777ER), M777 has more accessories, but those could be added to the FH-70. Long range ammunition likely can also be used on the FH-70. So for Europeans the FH-70 would be a better choice, assuming it can still be produced.

Please do a review for Pindad Anoa

Do a review on the g6 mobile artilery

Who needs it when you have A-10’s

Is there a version for home defense?

With the increasing ability of our adversaries to calculate effective counter battery fire the need to. Shoot and scoot is becoming the norm for artilliary

Shoot and scoot.
When you are fighting Soviets or Russians, being able to move the thing quickly after a few shots is a matter of survival. They have lots and lots of long range artillery for counter battery fire, and radars that tell them exactly from where you have been shooting from. You need to be gone from the zone of impact before that fire comes down on your old position. Back in the 80s, the FH 70 could do that well enough (esp the improved German version that could get out 3 rounds in 8 seconds with a semi autoloader).
Of course, nowadays we are talking thermobaric weapons and cluster ammunitions where the Russians are concerned, flattening whole map grid squares with a single salvo. They took out entire mech inf battallions of the Ukrainians that way. Plodding along with an APU doesnt really cut it any longer in such an environment (but is still better than simple towed arty, which is why the Estonians got some for cheap).
Which is why Germany completely replaced the FH70 with the PzH2000 (and MARS), and why Lithuania spent the money necessary to also get 12 PzHs.
krplus.net/bidio/lNKudJuTno3Ye5g

西ドイツとフランスとの共同開発した唯一成功した火砲

We need a mixed of high tech but keep these in storage as back up.

I worked on this early 90s, Jesus I was fit as a butchers dog, you needed to be strong and be alert, this bitch could hurt you, fingers crushed etc. VW engine to self propel it into a final position, it could get bogged down really easy, you could achieve high rates of fire with a good crew, the guys loved working on it. Do a vid if the L118 105mm Light Gun!!
Stay safe mate!
#UBIQUE

According to the Serbian nomenclature, there are:
1. Towed artillery
2. Self-propelled artillery
3. Self-moved artillery
FH 77 is self-moved artillery and it is technological dead end. That means it is obsolete. It can be used against armies of the same or lower technological level.

So it had much the same range as the old 5.5 inch. That was retained in 100 medium because it had nuclear shell capability in days of tac nuke.

Isn't that the kuperjanov infantry battalion of Estonia. Artur Rehi is part of that battalion

the reason the us no longer uses it is you have to move after your 3rd volley because the enemy knows where you are

Good piece of kit but had its day, I'm sure the Yanks many Client States in Dusty places will be very happy to receive them in Military Aid over the next few Years

3 rounds a minute?
No that's soldiering.

Estonia did also ditch these, will be replaced with K9 Thunder- self propelled howitzers

Make video on fh77 🔥🔥

One assumes that big gun mobility is absolutely required these days to permit avoidance of highly accurate computerized counter-battery fire. Despite the APU and howitser 'driveability'!!!???.
Presently and more so in future the existence and deployment of drones and other GPS capable UAVs mandates instant mobility which will be at a premium for survivability.

Have you ever seen the canadian artillery wake up video?

Yeah when they fire off the electronics killer bombs all them hightech guns will be worthless

Self Propelled artillery is the only way to go. The new counter battery radar systems are just too good. Shoot and Scoot!!!

actually I drove these back in the day ;)

Because that was the time where the MacNammera ideology came into being. Focus on air mobility, high speed, and high tech to augment soldiers. In some ways built off of the 'nuke Army' doctrine but without nukes flying everywhere.

Those things are supposed to be belt fed, that is why they are going by the wayside.

If it has a motor it, the motore at some point is going to cause a problem. So having the elevation and traverse dependent on that motor is not a good idea.