M108 howitzer

A Taiwanese M108 self-propelled howitzer

Type| Self-propelled gun
Place of origin| United States
Service history
In service| 1962–1975
Wars| Vietnam War
Production history
Manufacturer| Cadillac Motor Car Division of General Motors Corp
Specifications
Mass| 21 t (20 long tons; 20 short tons)
Length| 6.11 m (20 ft 1 in)
Barrel length| 3.15 m (10 ft 4 in) L/30
Width| 3.15 m (10 ft 4 in)
Height| 3.28 m (10 ft 9 in)
Crew| 5

* * *

Shell| 105x372R semi-fixed, semi-fixed cartridge
Calibre| 105 mm caliber
Breech| vertical sliding block
Elevation| \- 6 to + 75 degrees
Traverse| 360°
Rate of fire| 3-4 rounds/min
Effective firing range| Conventional: 11.5 km (7 mi)

* * *

Armour| 31.8 mm (1 in)

Main
armament

| M103 105 mm howitzer (87 rounds)

Secondary
armament

| .50 caliber (12.7 mm) M2 machine gun
Engine| Detroit Diesel turbocharged 8V-71T 8-cylinders
425 hp (300 kW)
Suspension| torsion-bar

Operational
range

| 360 km (200 mi)
Speed| 56 km/h (30 mph)

The M108 howitzer is an American self-propelled 105 mm howitzer, first introduced in the early 1960s as a replacement for the M52 self-propelled howitzer.[1]

The M108 was powered by a Detroit Diesel turbocharged 8V-71T 8-cylinders 405 hp engine. It used the same hull and turret as the 155 mm M109 self-propelled howitzer, and components of the M113 armored personnel carrier. The M108 was phased out soon after the American intervention in the Vietnam War, as the M109's 155 mm calibre was considered better fitted for modern war.

The M108 was used by several NATO countries.[2]

## Contents

* 1 Operational history
* 2 General characteristics
* 3 Users
* 3.1 Current users
* 3.2 Former users
* 4 Comparable weapons
* 5 See also
* 6 References
* 7 External links

## Operational history

The M108 howitzer's sole use in combat occurred in the Vietnam War. M108s equipped the first U.S. Army field artillery unit deployed to the conflict, when the 3-6 Field Artillery Battalion was deployed to Pleiku on June 17, 1966. This was soon followed by the 1-40th Field Artillery Battalion to Dong Ha Combat Base in October, 1966. M108s were generally employed from fortified fire bases providing artillery support to units in the field. Because M108 and M109 howitzers could traverse their main gun 360 degrees, unlike towed artillery, they were ideal for holding fire-base positions, which might be subject to attack from any direction. Both M108 battalions were withdrawn and phased out of U.S. Army service in 1975.[3]

## General characteristics

The M108 in 1961

* Length: 6.11 m
* Width: 3.15 m
* Height: 3.28 m
* Weight: 21 t
* Speed: 56 km/h (35 mph)
* Range: 360 km
* Crew: 5
* Armament:
* Primary: M103 105 mm howitzer
* Secondary: .50 caliber (12.7 mm) M2 machine gun
* Rate of fire: 4 rounds/min
* Shooting range: 11.5 km (HE) 15 km (HERA)

## Users

An M108 self-propelled howitzer in Vietnam M108 (middle) at the Texas Military Forces Museum

### Current users

* Chile: Chilean Army 21 M108 VBCL (Véhicule Blindé de Commandement et Liaison) (Former Belgian Army).
* Uruguay: National Army of Uruguay 10 M108AP.[4]
* Paraguay: Paraguayan Army 6 M108AP[5]

### Former users

* Australia: Lent by US Army for Australian Defence Force during the Vietnam War.
* Belgium: Belgian Army: 95,[6] until the 1980s.
* Brazil: Brazilian Army 72 M108AP, withdrawn,[7] 10 donated to Uruguay.[4] 6 donated to Paraguay.[5]
* Cambodia: Khmer National Army: withdrawn[8]
* Template:SPN: Spanish Army: 48, withdrawn
* Taiwan: Republic of China Army: 100
* Turkey: Turkish Army: 26 M108T withdrawn[9]
* United States: US Army withdrawn.
* Tunisia: Tunisian Army 48.

## Comparable weapons

* FV433 Abbot SPG \- British 105mm SPG

## See also

File:Weapons of the Field Artillery (1966).webm

* List of U.S. military vehicles by model number
* List of U.S. military vehicles by supply catalog designation SNL G-296
* M7 Priest
* M37 105 mm howitzer motor carriage

## References

1. ↑ M108[Usurped!]. Military-Today.
2. ↑ "M108 105mm Self-Propelled Howitzer". https://fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/m108.htm.
3. ↑ Zaloga, Steven (2005). M109 155mm Self_Propelled Howitzer 1960-2005. Osprey Publishing. pp. 9–13. ISBN 1-84176-631-3.
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Cámara de Diputados de Brasil aprueba donación de 21 vehículos blindados a Uruguay" (in es). 6 August 2022. https://www.pucara.org/post/cámara-de-diputados-de-brasil-aprueba-donación-de-21-vehículos-blindados-a-uruguay?fbclid=IwAR3RsDS1zw_EGOBAnR57nP0Bv0FmyDAQmSuZVCyvKcuYYKqkyiwy35XwQG0.
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Militar, Redaccion Zona (2025-12-16). "Brazil’s Senate Advances the Donation of M108 Self-Propelled Howitzers to Equip the Paraguayan Army" (in en-US). https://www.zona-militar.com/en/2025/12/15/brazils-senate-advances-the-donation-of-m108-self-propelled-howitzers-to-equip-the-paraguayan-army/.
6. ↑ "L'Armée belge". Les Cahiers du GRIF 14 (1): 49–50. 1976. https://www.persee.fr/doc/grif_0770-6081_1976_num_14_1_1123.
7. ↑ "Exército realiza último tiro do obuseiro M108" (in pt). 23 September 2019. https://www.defesaaereanaval.com.br/exercito/exercito-realiza-ultimo-tiro-do-obuseiro-m108.
8. ↑ Ross, Russell, ed (1987). Cambodia, a Country Study. Area Handbook Series (Third ed.). Washington, D.C.: Department of the Army, American University. p. 313. ISBN 978-0160208386.
9. ↑ Weapons Transfers and Violations of the Laws of War in Turkey. Human Rights Watch. 1995. ISBN 9781564321619. https://books.google.com/books?id=b99dfVMJNRMC&q=Weapons+Transfers+and+Violations+of+the+Laws+of+War+in+Turkey. Retrieved 13 March 2014.

## External links

* Detailed data
* Olive-Drab.com
* Militaryfactory.com
* Forecast International
* [1]

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