Designation:

M56-2

Info
Manufacturer: Yugoimport SDPR  
Product type: Weapons & Weapon Systems  
Name: Towed gun  

Yugoimport SDPR of Serbia and Montenegro is marketing a number of artillery upgrades including one for the 105 mm M56 towed howitzer, which was originally designed and built in the former Yugoslavia many years ago.

In addition to being used in large quantities by Yugoslavia, it was exported to a number of countries including Cyprus, El Salvador, Guatemala, Indonesia and Mexico.

Development of this upgrade package is complete and production can commence as soon as orders are placed. The upgraded system is called the 105 mm howitzer M56-2 or M56A1. As of early 2008, it is understood that this upgrade remained at the prototype stage.

Description

The standard production 105 mm M56 howitzer is fitted with a 105 mm/28 calibre ordnance. The upgraded M56-2 model has a longer 105 mm/33 calibre barrel, which is also made of stronger steel and therefore allows 105 mm projectiles to be fired with a higher charge and therefore a longer range.

The original barrel assembly weighed 526 kg while the new 105 mm/33 calibre barrel weighs 616 kg with the barrel on its own weighing 410 kg. Other modifications include the installation of a new double-baffle muzzle brake while the existing horizontal sliding breech and breech block are replaced by identical ones made of stronger steel.

In addition there have been minor modifications of the existing pneumatic equilibrator with the pressure being increased in order to compensate for the added weight of the new 105 mm barrel assembly. The standard split trails have been retained but additional mass has been fitted to each trail.

The 105 mm M56-2 can fire the older US developed 105 mm M1 high-explosive (HE) projectile out to a maximum range of 11,800 m but increased range and effectiveness is achieved with the use of the new generation of higher performance 105 mm ammunition.

The new locally developed 105 mm HE-ER (High-Explosive Extended Range) projectile with a base-bleed unit attached can achieve a maximum range of 18 km with a muzzle velocity of 675 m/s.

It can also fire the new HE-ER Boat Tail (BT) projectile, which has a maximum range of 15 km and a muzzle velocity of 675 m/s.

According to Yugoimport, maximum rate of fire is eight rounds per minute and the barrel has a life of 10,000 equivalent full charge (EFC) rounds.

105 mm M56-2 self-propelled howitzer

Yugoimport has also developed a new self-propelled (SP) model of the upgraded M56A-2 towed howitzer mounted on the rear of a modified locally produced FAP 1117BS/AV (4 × 4) forward cross-country truck chassis. As far as it is known this remains at the prototype stage.

Specifications:
Property Value
Main weapon caliber (mm)
105
Barrel length (calibres)
33
Weight (kg)
2200
Length (mm)
6770
Width (mm)
2150
Height (mm)
1560
Ground clearance (mm)
335
Track (mm)
1800
Elevation (degree)
65
Depression (degree)
-9
Rate of fire (rds/min)
8
Firing range (m)
11800

Included in:
Product Amount
M56A1 (Self-propelled gun)
1


M56-2 quantities:
Country Qnt
DJIBUTI DJIBUTI
5
ETHIOPIA ETHIOPIA
40
NIGERIA NIGERIA
200
PORTUGAL PORTUGAL
15
SPAIN SPAIN
170
SUDAN SUDAN
6
Qnt:
436

   
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M56-2