152 mm gun-howitzer D-20 vs PCL-181: Specs Compared

FORCETALLY

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AArtillery

152 mm gun-howitzer D-20

Towed howitzer

Credit

Ministry of Defense of Ukraine · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Resized · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Source ↗ · Modified

AI-generated illustration · Not a photograph — Representative exterior of PCL-181

BArtillery

PCL-181

Self-propelled howitzer

AI-generated illustration · Not a photograph

Credit

ForceTally · AI-generated illustration · Not a photograph · AI-generated · OpenAI output terms · Source ↗ · Modified

First system

Second system

At a glance

Side by side

Length comparisonOne shared metre scale

152 mm gun-howitzer D-20Length

8.69 m

Length source ↗

PCL-181SH-15

6.5 m

Length source ↗

Lengths retain their source configuration and measurement scope.

152 mm gun-howitzer D-20larger figure on 1 of 4

Crew+33%

PCL-181larger figure on 3 of 4

Mass+339%
Range+121%
Calibre

Measured figures

Head to head

20 of 74 rows sourced on both sides

8.69m

6.5mSH-15

Length

All recorded figures & sources

8.69 m

Length

Single source

8.69 m (28 ft 6 in)^[source]

6.5 m

SH-15

Single source

Configuration

Details

152 mm gun-howitzer D-20 and PCL-181 configuration
Specification	152 mm gun-howitzer D-20	PCL-181
Type	Towed howitzer^[source]	Self-propelled howitzer^[source]
Place of origin	Soviet Union^[source]	China^[source]
Used by	Soviet Union , many others^[source]	See § Operators^[source]
Wars	Vietnam War Six-Day War Yom Kippur War Soviet–Afghan War Iran–Iraq War Lebanese Civil War First Nagorno-Karabakh War Syrian Civil War Russo-Ukrainian War Second Nagorno-Karabakh War many others^[source]

Designer	Petrov Artillery Design Bureau^[source]	Nanjing University of Science and Technology^[source]

Designed	1947^[source]	—

Manufacturer	Artillery Plant Number 9, Yekaterinburg^[source]	Norinco^[source]

Shell	152.4 x 547.5 mm R Separate loading charge and projectile^[source]	—

Breech	Vertical semi-automatic sliding-wedge^[source]	Semi-automatic vertical wedge type breech block^[source]

Recoil	Hydraulic buffer and hydro-pneumatic recuperator^[source]	—

Carriage	Split trail^[source]	—

Elevation	-5° to 45°^[source]	Around 20° to 70° (except for front due to cab)^[source]

Traverse	58°^[source]	360°^[source]

Sights	PG1M indirect sight and OP4M direct fire sight^[source]	—

Former operator · Albania	Albania^[source]	—

Former operator · Artsakh	Artsakh^[source]	—

Former operator · Bolivia	Bolivia^[source]	—

Former operator · East Germany	East Germany^[source]	—

Former operator · Egypt	Egypt^[source]	—

Former operator · Finland	Finland^[source]	—

Former operator · Germany	Germany^[source]	—

Former operator · Kazakhstan	Kazakhstan^[source]	—

Former operator · Soviet Union	Soviet Union^[source]	—

Former operator · Uzbekistan	Uzbekistan^[source]	—

Former operator · Yugoslavia	Yugoslavia^[source]	—

Source measurement	The 152 mm gun-howitzer M1955 , also known as the D-20 , ( Russian : 152-мм пушка-гаубица Д-20 обр. 1955 г. ) is a manually loaded, towed 152 mm gun-howitzer artillery piece, manufactured in the Soviet Union during the 1950s. It was first observed by the West in 1955, at which time it was designated the M1955. Its GRAU index is 52-P-546 .^[source]152 mm gun-howitzer D-20 · Lead; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage 152 mm has been a Russian caliber since World War I, when Britain supplied 6-inch howitzers and Russia purchased 152 mm guns from Schneider (probably derived from the 155 mm Gun Mle 1877/16) for the Imperial Army. The new gun-howitzer, was a replacement of the pre-war ML-20 gun-howitzer (the 152 mm howitzer M1937 ) and various World War II era 152 mm field howitzers, Model 09/30 , Model 1910/30 , Model 1938 (M10) and Model 1943 (D-1) .^[source]152 mm gun-howitzer D-20 · History; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage By Soviet definition, a 152 mm howitzer is "medium"-caliber artillery. It was designated a "gun-howitzer" because its muzzle velocity exceeded 600 m/s, and its barrel length exceeded 30 calibers. It equipped battalions in the motor rifle division artillery regiment and army level artillery brigades.^[source]152 mm gun-howitzer D-20 · History; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage The design, which was probably initiated in the late 1940s, was first seen in public in 1955. It was designed by the well-established design bureau at Artillery Plant No. 9 in Sverdlovsk , now Motovilikha Plants in Yekaterinburg, led by the eminent artillery designer Fyodor Fyodorovich Petrov , who was responsible for several World War II pieces. The gun's factory designation was "D-20".^[source]152 mm gun-howitzer D-20 · History; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage The carriage is the same one used for the D-74 122 mm field gun . The barrel assembly is the basis for the D-22 (GRAU index: 2A33 ), which is used for the self-propelled 2S3 Akatsiya ("Acacia").^[source]152 mm gun-howitzer D-20 · History; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage The D-20 has a 26 caliber (3.962 m) barrel, with a double baffle muzzle brake and a semi-automatic vertical sliding-block breech, with a tied jaw and the block moving down to open. The barrel is mounted in a long ring cradle with the trunnions just forward of the breech. The recoil system (buffer and recuperator) is mounted on the cradle above the barrel. Compression balancing gear is attached behind the saddle support, passing through the complex shaped saddle to connect to the cradle just forward of the trunnions. This can be manually repressured by a pump below the breech. The breech has a projectile retaining catch to prevent the shell sliding out at higher elevations before it is rammed with a manual rammer .^[source]152 mm gun-howitzer D-20 · Description; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Top traverse totals 58° and the vertical elevation range is −5° to 45°.^[source]152 mm gun-howitzer D-20 · Description; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Like most Soviet artillery, the gun fires separate ammunition using metal cartridge cases that also provide obturation . The ammunition is interchangeable with that used with other 152 mm guns, although the more modern ones have a third, much larger cartridge. The D-20 uses two types of cartridge. One has a base charge and up to five increments, the other is a single 'super' charge cartridge.^[source]152 mm gun-howitzer D-20 · Description; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage The standard shell weight is 44 kg with a muzzle velocity of 655 m/s, but some projectiles are more or less than this. The basic shell is high explosive (HE) and fragmentation (HE-frag). Other projectiles include smoke, illuminating , chemical and probably incendiary .^[source]152 mm gun-howitzer D-20 · Description; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Later projectiles include bomblet, anti-personnel land mine , flechette , Krasnopol precision-guided munition (PGM), communication jammer , and extended range HE using rocket assistance (RAP). The normal maximum range is 17.4 km, RAP being farther. Two direct-fire anti-tank projectiles have been used, high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) and armour-piercing ammunition (APHE), the latter being 5.2 kg heavier and with a lower muzzle velocity.^[source]152 mm gun-howitzer D-20 · Description; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage The maximum rate of fire is usually stated as five rounds per minute, and 65 rounds per hour sustained. In Soviet service, the unit of fire was 60 rounds.^[source]152 mm gun-howitzer D-20 · Description; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage The detachment was either 8 or 10 men, probably differing between armies and the time period. In Soviet service, the 5,700 kg gun was usually towed by a URAL-375 6×6 truck or, in some regions, an AT-S or AT-L medium tractor.^[source]152 mm gun-howitzer D-20 · Description; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage The Khitin is an improved version with an automatic rammer for an increased firing rate of 7-8 rounds per minute.^[source]152 mm gun-howitzer D-20 · Variants / Russian Federation; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage The US Defense Intelligence Agency has reported the existence of several self-propelled artillery systems, mating existing cannon systems with a locally designed chassis. The SPH 152 mm M1974 appears to be a D-20 or Type 66 mounted on a tracked chassis Tokchon .^[source]152 mm gun-howitzer D-20 · Variants / North Korea; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage M1981 − A 152 mm howitzer developed for the Romanian Army , it uses a carriage that is similar in some respects to the D-20, and the D-74 122 mm field gun , as a circular firing pedestal is fitted and is inverted and secured just forward of the gun shield when in travel position.^[source]152 mm gun-howitzer D-20 · Similar weapons / Romania; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage M1985 − A 152 mm howitzer developed as a follow on to the M1981 for the Romanian Army, the carriage is very similar to the D-20, but it has a longer barrel giving it a greater range.^[source]152 mm gun-howitzer D-20 · Similar weapons / Romania; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage HE-frag, OF-32 – range 17,400 metres^[source]152 mm gun-howitzer D-20 · Ammunition; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage A Serbian Army M-84 Nora-A 152 mm howitzer at military parade in Niš^[source]152 mm gun-howitzer D-20 · Gallery; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage	—

Source measurement

The 152 mm gun-howitzer M1955 , also known as the D-20 , ( Russian : 152-мм пушка-гаубица Д-20 обр. 1955 г. ) is a manually loaded, towed 152 mm gun-howitzer artillery piece, manufactured in the Soviet Union during the 1950s. It was first observed by the West in 1955, at which time it was designated the M1955. Its GRAU index is 52-P-546 .^[source]152 mm gun-howitzer D-20 · Lead; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

152 mm has been a Russian caliber since World War I, when Britain supplied 6-inch howitzers and Russia purchased 152 mm guns from Schneider (probably derived from the 155 mm Gun Mle 1877/16) for the Imperial Army. The new gun-howitzer, was a replacement of the pre-war ML-20 gun-howitzer (the 152 mm howitzer M1937 ) and various World War II era 152 mm field howitzers, Model 09/30 , Model 1910/30 , Model 1938 (M10) and Model 1943 (D-1) .^[source]152 mm gun-howitzer D-20 · History; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

By Soviet definition, a 152 mm howitzer is "medium"-caliber artillery. It was designated a "gun-howitzer" because its muzzle velocity exceeded 600 m/s, and its barrel length exceeded 30 calibers. It equipped battalions in the motor rifle division artillery regiment and army level artillery brigades.^[source]152 mm gun-howitzer D-20 · History; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

The design, which was probably initiated in the late 1940s, was first seen in public in 1955. It was designed by the well-established design bureau at Artillery Plant No. 9 in Sverdlovsk , now Motovilikha Plants in Yekaterinburg, led by the eminent artillery designer Fyodor Fyodorovich Petrov , who was responsible for several World War II pieces. The gun's factory designation was "D-20".^[source]152 mm gun-howitzer D-20 · History; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

The carriage is the same one used for the D-74 122 mm field gun . The barrel assembly is the basis for the D-22 (GRAU index: 2A33 ), which is used for the self-propelled 2S3 Akatsiya ("Acacia").^[source]152 mm gun-howitzer D-20 · History; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

The D-20 has a 26 caliber (3.962 m) barrel, with a double baffle muzzle brake and a semi-automatic vertical sliding-block breech, with a tied jaw and the block moving down to open. The barrel is mounted in a long ring cradle with the trunnions just forward of the breech. The recoil system (buffer and recuperator) is mounted on the cradle above the barrel. Compression balancing gear is attached behind the saddle support, passing through the complex shaped saddle to connect to the cradle just forward of the trunnions. This can be manually repressured by a pump below the breech. The breech has a projectile retaining catch to prevent the shell sliding out at higher elevations before it is rammed with a manual rammer .^[source]152 mm gun-howitzer D-20 · Description; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Top traverse totals 58° and the vertical elevation range is −5° to 45°.^[source]152 mm gun-howitzer D-20 · Description; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Like most Soviet artillery, the gun fires separate ammunition using metal cartridge cases that also provide obturation . The ammunition is interchangeable with that used with other 152 mm guns, although the more modern ones have a third, much larger cartridge. The D-20 uses two types of cartridge. One has a base charge and up to five increments, the other is a single 'super' charge cartridge.^[source]152 mm gun-howitzer D-20 · Description; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

The standard shell weight is 44 kg with a muzzle velocity of 655 m/s, but some projectiles are more or less than this. The basic shell is high explosive (HE) and fragmentation (HE-frag). Other projectiles include smoke, illuminating , chemical and probably incendiary .^[source]152 mm gun-howitzer D-20 · Description; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Later projectiles include bomblet, anti-personnel land mine , flechette , Krasnopol precision-guided munition (PGM), communication jammer , and extended range HE using rocket assistance (RAP). The normal maximum range is 17.4 km, RAP being farther. Two direct-fire anti-tank projectiles have been used, high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) and armour-piercing ammunition (APHE), the latter being 5.2 kg heavier and with a lower muzzle velocity.^[source]152 mm gun-howitzer D-20 · Description; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

The maximum rate of fire is usually stated as five rounds per minute, and 65 rounds per hour sustained. In Soviet service, the unit of fire was 60 rounds.^[source]152 mm gun-howitzer D-20 · Description; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

The detachment was either 8 or 10 men, probably differing between armies and the time period. In Soviet service, the 5,700 kg gun was usually towed by a URAL-375 6×6 truck or, in some regions, an AT-S or AT-L medium tractor.^[source]152 mm gun-howitzer D-20 · Description; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

The Khitin is an improved version with an automatic rammer for an increased firing rate of 7-8 rounds per minute.^[source]152 mm gun-howitzer D-20 · Variants / Russian Federation; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

The US Defense Intelligence Agency has reported the existence of several self-propelled artillery systems, mating existing cannon systems with a locally designed chassis. The SPH 152 mm M1974 appears to be a D-20 or Type 66 mounted on a tracked chassis Tokchon .^[source]152 mm gun-howitzer D-20 · Variants / North Korea; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

M1981 − A 152 mm howitzer developed for the Romanian Army , it uses a carriage that is similar in some respects to the D-20, and the D-74 122 mm field gun , as a circular firing pedestal is fitted and is inverted and secured just forward of the gun shield when in travel position.^[source]152 mm gun-howitzer D-20 · Similar weapons / Romania; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

M1985 − A 152 mm howitzer developed as a follow on to the M1981 for the Romanian Army, the carriage is very similar to the D-20, but it has a longer barrel giving it a greater range.^[source]152 mm gun-howitzer D-20 · Similar weapons / Romania; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

HE-frag, OF-32 – range 17,400 metres^[source]152 mm gun-howitzer D-20 · Ammunition; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

A Serbian Army M-84 Nora-A 152 mm howitzer at military parade in Niš^[source]152 mm gun-howitzer D-20 · Gallery; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

—

In service	—	2019–present^[source]

Barrels	—	52 caliber^[source]

Main armament	—	PLL-01 155 mm howitzer gun^[source]

Engine	—	diesel^[source]

Drive	—	6×6^[source]

Suspension	—	hydropneumatic suspension^[source]

Reported operators	Reported operator · Angola Reported operator · Armenia Reported operator · Azerbaijan Reported operator · Belarus Reported operator · Bulgaria Reported operator · Cuba Reported operator · Democratic Republic of the Congo Reported operator · Ethiopia Reported operator · Georgia Reported operator · China Reported operator · Republic of the Congo Reported operator · Hungary Reported operator · Iran Reported operator · Iraq Reported operator · Iraqi Kurdistan Reported operator · Laos Reported operator · Moldova Reported operator · Myanmar Reported operator · Nicaragua Reported operator · Nigeria Reported operator · North Korea Reported operator · Russia Reported operator · Romania Reported operator · Sri Lanka Reported operator · Syria Reported operator · Turkmenistan Reported operator · Ukraine Reported operator · Vietnam Reported operator · Yemen	Reported operator · Ethiopia Reported operator · Myanmar Reported operator · People's Republic of China Reported operator · Pakistan