G6 howitzer

G6
G6
	G6 howitzer
Type	Self-propelled artillery
Place of origin	South Africa
Service history
Used by	South Africa, Oman, United Arab Emirates
Wars	South African Border War
Production history
Manufacturer	Denel
Produced	1987 –
Specifications
Mass	46,500 kg (46.5 Ton)
Length	10.4 m (34 ft 1 in)
Width	3.5 m (11 ft 6 in)
Height	3.4 m (11 ft 2 in)
Crew	6; 3–5 (G6-52 Extended Range)
Caliber	155 mm
Rate of fire	G6-52: 8 rpm; G6 M1A3: 6 rpm; Sustained: 2 rpm
Effective firing range	Standard: 30 km (19 mi); Base bleed: 39 km (24 mi); V-LAP: 52.5 km (32.6 mi); M9703A1: 67 km (42 mi)
Main; armament	1 x 155mm T6 L/52 (Caliber: 155mm - Scope estimated 33Km to 42Km)
Engine	air-cooled diesel; 525 hp (391.49 kW)
Suspension	6×6
Operational; range	Road: 700 km (430 mi); Off-road: 350 km (220 mi)
Maximum speed	Road: 85 km/h (53 mph); Off-road: 30 km/h (19 mph)

The G6 self-propelled howitzer is a South African artillery piece, developed around the ordnance of the G5 howitzer. It is one of the most powerful self-propelled guns on a wheeled chassis.

In addition to the logistical mobility afforded by a wheeled chassis, the G6 is protected against counter battery fire and is able to defend itself in an unsecured area.

The chassis is mine-protected. The G6 is produced in South Africa by the Land Systems division of Denel. It entered production in 1987.

Ammunition characteristics[]

Maximum range:
- 30,000 m with standard HE rounds,
- 39,000 m with HE base bleed rounds, and
- 42,000 m with HE base bleed rounds (BB—fired from G6-52)
- 50,000 m with HE base bleed rounds (BB—fired from G6-52 Extended Range)
- 52,500 m with a special velocity-enhanced Long Range Projectile (V-LAP—fired from G6).
- 58,000 m with a special velocity-enhanced Long Range Projectile (V-LAP—fired from G6-52).
- 67,450 m M9703A1 V-LAP round (tested successfully to 73,000 m by Denel in G6-52 Extended Range platform)
Minimum range: 3,000 m.
Rate of fire: 4 round/min, 2 round/min sustained.
Ammunition: 155 mm ERFB. 47 rounds, 50 charges, 64 primers and fuzes.
Accuracy: 0.1% of range in azimuth, 0.48% of range in range.
In 2012 four rounds of M982 Excalibur precision guided munitions were fired to a range of 38 km, all landing within 5 m of the target.^[3]

Variants[]

G6
G6 M1A3: Exported UAE version
G6-52 (23 litre chamber)
G6-52 Extended Range (25 litre chamber)
- Reduced crew to 3–5;
- can fire projectile up to 67 km at a rate of fire of eight rounds/minute;
- increased off-road speeds to nearly 70 km/h;
- implemented Multiple Rounds Simultaneous Impact (MRSI) technology and can land six (G6-52L variant) or five (G6-52) rounds simultaneously at targets up to 25 km away; and
- is currently undergoing extensive trials.
G6 Marksman: a British SPAAG version, combining the G6's base vehicle with the Marksman turret.^[4]

Operators[]

South Africa: 43 systems.^[5] Also known as the GV6 Rhino within the South African National Defence Force^[6]
United Arab Emirates: 78 systems^[5]
Oman: 24 systems^[5]

Combat history[]

The G6 saw limited action in 1987/88 during the South African Border War, in the Battle of Cuito Cuanavale.

References[]

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 ^1.4 "Weapon systems: Artillery - GV6". South African Army. http://www.army.mil.za/equipment/weaponsystems/artillery/GV6_115mm_MK1_Gun_Howitzer_Propelled.htm. Retrieved 4 January 2010.
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 Greeff, I.B. (June 1992). "South Africa's Modern Long Tom". The South African Military History Society. ISSN 0026-4016. http://samilitaryhistory.org/vol091ig.html.
↑ http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-290906341.html
↑ "Denel in UK gun link-up". Flightglobal.com. September 2004. pp. 10. ISSN 0015-3710.
↑ ^5.0 ^5.1 ^5.2 "G6 155mm Self Propelled Howitzer, South Africa". army-technology.com. http://www.army-technology.com/projects/g6/. Retrieved 1 January 2010.
↑ "G6 Rhino 155mm SELF-PROPELLED GUN-HOWITZER". GlobalSecurity.org. http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/rsa/g6.htm. Retrieved 1 January 2010.

External links[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to G6 howitzer.

All or a portion of this article consists of text from Wikipedia, and is therefore Creative Commons Licensed under GFDL.
The original article can be found at G6 howitzer and the edit history here.

[saarmy-gv6-1] 1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 ^1.4 "Weapon systems: Artillery - GV6". South African Army. http://www.army.mil.za/equipment/weaponsystems/artillery/GV6_115mm_MK1_Gun_Howitzer_Propelled.htm. Retrieved 4 January 2010.

[MHJ-9-1-2] 2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 Greeff, I.B. (June 1992). "South Africa's Modern Long Tom". The South African Military History Society. ISSN 0026-4016. http://samilitaryhistory.org/vol091ig.html.

[3] ttp://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-290906341.html

[fi-14sep2004-10-4] "Denel in UK gun link-up". Flightglobal.com. September 2004. pp. 10. ISSN 0015-3710.

[AT-5] 5.0 ^5.1 ^5.2 "G6 155mm Self Propelled Howitzer, South Africa". army-technology.com. http://www.army-technology.com/projects/g6/. Retrieved 1 January 2010.

[6] "G6 Rhino 155mm SELF-PROPELLED GUN-HOWITZER". GlobalSecurity.org. http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/rsa/g6.htm. Retrieved 1 January 2010.

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