M119 howitzer vs Oerlikon GDF: Specs Compared

M119 howitzer and crew during live-fire qualification — licensed reference photograph

AArtillery

M119 howitzer

Towed field gun

Credit

Gertrud Zach · Public domain · Resized · Public domain · Source ↗ · Modified

BArtillery

Oerlikon GDF

Autocannon

Credit

Comet Photo AG (Zürich) ETH-Bibliothek Zürich, Bildarchiv / Fotograf: Comet Photo AG (Zürich) / Com_LC1690-001-011 / CC BY-SA 4.0 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Resized · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source ↗ · Modified

First system

Second system

At a glance

Side by side

M119 howitzerlarger figure on 2 of 2

Crew+100%
Calibre+200%

Oerlikon GDFlarger figure on 0 of 2

None

Counts only measures both sources give with the same scope. A larger figure is not a better system.

Measured figures

Head to head

19 of 65 rows sourced on both sides

—

7.8mtravelling

Length

All recorded figures & sources

7.8 m

travelling

Single source

7.8 m (25 ft 7 in) (travelling)^[source]

1.78m

2.26mtravelling

Width

All recorded figures & sources

1.78 m

Width

Single source

5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)^[source]

2.26 m

travelling

Single source

2.26 m (7 ft 5 in) (travelling)^[source]

2.21mCombat

2.6mtravelling

HeightScopes differ

All recorded figures & sources

2.21 m

Combat

Single source

1.37 m

Travel

Single source

Combat: 7 ft 3 in (2.21 m) Travel: 4 ft 6 in (1.37 m)^[source]

2.6 m

travelling

Single source

2.6 m (8 ft 6 in) (travelling)^[source]

2.3tWith BII

6.7twith ammunition

MassScopes differ

All recorded figures & sources

630 kg

Cannon alone

Single source

1,936 kg

Combat

Single source

2,320 kg

With BII

Single source

2,130 kg

Without BII

Single source

With BII: 5,110 lb (2,320 kg) Without BII: 4,690 lb (2,130 kg) Cannon alone: 1,389 lb (630 kg) Combat: 4,268 lb (1,936 kg)^[source]

6,700 kg

with ammunition

Single source

6,700 kg (14,800 lb ) (with ammunition)^[source]

5–7people

Crew

All recorded figures & sources

5–7 people

Crew

Single source

5 to 7^[source]

3 people

Crew

Single source

3^[source]

20kmMaximum; Charge 7

13km

RangeScopes differ

All recorded figures & sources

19.5 km

Maximum; Charge 7

Single source

17.5 km

Maximum; Charge 7 Charge 8 (with RAP)

Single source

Charge 7: 17,500 m (10.9 mi) Charge 8 (with RAP): 19,500 m (12.1 mi)^[source]

4 km

Effective; Ceiling

Single source

12.5 km

Maximum; Oerlikon GDF; Ammunition section maximum range

Single source

3.2mL/30.48

3.15mbarrel

Barrel lengthScopes differ

All recorded figures & sources

3.2 m

L/30.48

Single source

10 ft 6 in (3.20 m) L/30.48^[source]

3.15 m

barrel

Single source

3.15 m (10 ft 4 in) (barrel)^[source]

105mmCaliber

35mmCaliber

Calibre+200%

All recorded figures & sources

105 mm

Caliber

Single source

105 mm (4.13 in)^[source]

35 mm

Caliber

Single source

35 mm (1.4 in)^[source]

8rpmMaximum

550rpmper barrel

Rate of fireScopes differ

All recorded figures & sources

3 rounds/min

for 3 minutes Sustained for 30 minutes

Single source

8 rounds/min

Maximum

Single source

Maximum: 8 rpm for 3 minutes Sustained: 3 rpm for 30 minutes^[source]

550 rounds/min

per barrel

Single source

550 rounds/min (per barrel)^[source]

—

1,175m/sHEI-T

Muzzle velocity

All recorded figures & sources

1,175 m/s

HEI-T

Single source

1,175 m/s (3,850 ft/s) (HEI-T)^[source]

Bars compare reported quantities only. A larger figure does not make a system better; configurations and test conditions differ.

Configuration

Details

M119 howitzer and Oerlikon GDF configuration
Specification	M119 howitzer	Oerlikon GDF
Type	Towed field gun^[source]	Autocannon^[source]
Place of origin	United States^[source]	Switzerland (1958–present)^[source]
Used by	See operators^[source]	See Operators^[source]
Wars	War in Afghanistan (2001-2021) Iraq War Saudi Arabian–led intervention in Yemen Russian invasion of Ukraine^[source]	Iran–Iraq War Falklands War South African Border War 2025 India–Pakistan conflict Twelve-Day War^[source]
Manufacturer	Joint Manufacturing Technology Center of Rock Island Arsenal^[source]	Oerlikon (1958–2009) Rheinmetall (2009–present)^[source]
Produced	1989–2013^[source]	1958–present^[source]
Variants	M119, M119A1, M119A2, M119A3^[source]	—
Shell	Semi-fixed 105 x 372 mm R^[source]	Complete round: 35×228mm, 1.565 kg (3 lb 7 oz)^[source]
Elevation	-5.625° (−100 mils) to +69.975° (+1,244 mils)^[source]	−5°/+92°^[source]
Traverse	5.625° (100 mils) left or right^[source]	Full 360°^[source]
Sights	3 × M90A2 telescope, M137A1 panoramic telescope^[source]	—
In service	—	1963–present^[source]
Designer	—	Oerlikon^[source]
Action	—	Gas-operated , propped-lock locking system^[source]
Carriage	—	4 wheels with outriggers^[source]
Reported operators	Reported operator · Kurdistan Region Reported operator · Saudi Arabia Reported operator · United States Reported operator · Ukraine	Reported operator · Saudi Arabia Reported operator · Ukraine Reported operator · Argentina Reported operator · Austria Reported operator · Bahrain Reported operator · Bangladesh Reported operator · Brazil Reported operator · Cameroon Reported operator · Canada Reported operator · Chile Reported operator · China Reported operator · Colombia Reported operator · Cyprus Reported operator · Ecuador Reported operator · Egypt Reported operator · Finland Reported operator · Germany Reported operator · Greece Reported operator · Iran Reported operator · Indonesia Reported operator · Japan Reported operator · South Korea Reported operator · Kuwait Reported operator · Malaysia Reported operator · Myanmar Reported operator · Nigeria Reported operator · Oman Reported operator · Pakistan Reported operator · Romania Reported operator · Singapore Reported operator · South Africa Reported operator · Spain Reported operator · Switzerland Reported operator · Taiwan Reported operator · Thailand Reported operator · Turkey Reported operator · United Arab Emirates Reported operator · United Kingdom

FORCETALLY

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M119 howitzer

Oerlikon GDF

Type

Towed field gun^[source]

Autocannon^[source]

Place of origin

United States^[source]

Switzerland (1958–present)^[source]

Used by

See operators^[source]

See Operators^[source]

Wars

War in Afghanistan (2001-2021) Iraq War Saudi Arabian–led intervention in Yemen Russian invasion of Ukraine^[source]

Iran–Iraq War Falklands War South African Border War 2025 India–Pakistan conflict Twelve-Day War^[source]

Manufacturer

Joint Manufacturing Technology Center of Rock Island Arsenal^[source]

Oerlikon (1958–2009) Rheinmetall (2009–present)^[source]

Produced

1989–2013^[source]

1958–present^[source]

Variants

M119, M119A1, M119A2, M119A3^[source]

—

Shell

Semi-fixed 105 x 372 mm R^[source]

Complete round: 35×228mm, 1.565 kg (3 lb 7 oz)^[source]

Elevation

-5.625° (−100 mils) to +69.975° (+1,244 mils)^[source]

−5°/+92°^[source]

Traverse

5.625° (100 mils) left or right^[source]

Full 360°^[source]

Sights

3 × M90A2 telescope, M137A1 panoramic telescope^[source]

—

In service

—

1963–present^[source]

Designer

—

Oerlikon^[source]

Action

—

Gas-operated , propped-lock locking system^[source]

Carriage

—

4 wheels with outriggers^[source]

Reported operators

Reported operator · Kurdistan Region
Reported operator · Saudi Arabia
Reported operator · United States
Reported operator · Ukraine

Reported operator · Saudi Arabia
Reported operator · Ukraine
Reported operator · Argentina
Reported operator · Austria
Reported operator · Bahrain
Reported operator · Bangladesh
Reported operator · Brazil
Reported operator · Cameroon
Reported operator · Canada
Reported operator · Chile
Reported operator · China
Reported operator · Colombia
Reported operator · Cyprus
Reported operator · Ecuador
Reported operator · Egypt
Reported operator · Finland
Reported operator · Germany
Reported operator · Greece
Reported operator · Iran
Reported operator · Indonesia
Reported operator · Japan
Reported operator · South Korea
Reported operator · Kuwait
Reported operator · Malaysia
Reported operator · Myanmar
Reported operator · Nigeria
Reported operator · Oman
Reported operator · Pakistan
Reported operator · Romania
Reported operator · Singapore
Reported operator · South Africa
Reported operator · Spain
Reported operator · Switzerland
Reported operator · Taiwan
Reported operator · Thailand
Reported operator · Turkey
Reported operator · United Arab Emirates
Reported operator · United Kingdom