M119 howitzer vs PLZ-45: Specs Compared

FORCETALLY

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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

PLZ-45

Self-propelled artillery

Credit

Angelique N. Smythe, U.S. Air Force · Public domain · Resized · Public domain · Source ↗ · Modified

First system

Second system

At a glance

Side by side

M119 howitzerlarger figure on 2 of 4

Crew+20%
Rate of fire+60%

PLZ-45larger figure on 2 of 4

Width+85%
Calibre+48%

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

Measured figures

Head to head

16 of 40 rows sourced on both sides

—

10.5m

Length

All recorded figures & sources

10.5 m

Length

Single source

10.5 m (34 ft 5 in)^[source]

1.78m

3.3m

Width+85%

Configuration

Details

M119 howitzer and PLZ-45 configuration
Specification	M119 howitzer	PLZ-45
Type	Towed field gun^[source]	Self-propelled artillery^[source]
Place of origin	United States^[source]	China^[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]	Yemeni Civil War (2014–present)

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

Produced	1989–2013^[source]	1997^[source]

Variants	M119, M119A1, M119A2, M119A3^[source]	—

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

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

Traverse	5.625° (100 mils) left or right^[source]	360°^[source]

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

Role	lightweight 105 mm howitzer ,^[source]	—

Source measurement	The M119 howitzer is a lightweight 105 mm howitzer , used by the United States Army . It is the American licensed version of the British L119 light gun . The M119 is typically towed by the M1097 or M1152 High Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) , and can be easily airlifted by helicopter , or airdropped by parachute .^[source]M119 howitzer · Lead; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage The howitzer was designed and produced by the British Royal Ordnance Factories as the L118 light gun . In the L118 configuration, the 105 mm ammunition is cased separate loading ammunition. The L118 entered service with the British Army in 1976 and is used by parachute and commando field artillery regiments. It saw combat during the Falklands War , where the 30 guns in action fired up to 400 rounds per gun per day, mostly at "charge super"—i.e., the most powerful propellant charge available.^[source]M119 howitzer · Development; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage The L119 is the L118 reconfigured to fire NATO -standard 105 mm semi-fixed ammunition .^[source]M119 howitzer · Development; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage The redesigned system operates the same, but modifies and simplifies some components, including a new buffer and recuperator with a majority of the components removed, and adds the Suspension Lockout System (SLOS) that fixes recoil length at 25 in (64 cm), which removes variable-recoil hardware, reduces stress on the carriage, and lowers buffer rod forces; the new system reduces cost, the system consists of 124 parts and the redesign will reduce that number by 40 percent to 75 parts and reusing 47 parts will consist of 65 percent for the current system, therefore only needing to manufacturing 28 new parts with overall weight savings of 45 lb (20 kg).^[source]M119 howitzer · Development; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage with M67 propelling charges: M1 (HE) – High Explosive projectile, range: 11.5 km (7.1 mi), 2.1 kg of explosive filling M60 (WP) – White Phosphorus smoke generating projectile, range: 15.1 km (9.4 mi) (current variant: M60A2) M84 (HC) – Hexachloroethane smoke generating projectile, range: 11.5 km (7.1 mi) (current variant: 105 mm M84A1) M314 (VL) – Visible Light illuminating projectile, range: 19.5 km (12.1 mi) (current variant: M314A3) M444 (APICM) – Dual-Purpose Improved Conventional Munition (withdrawn from service), range: 11.5 km (7.1 mi) M916 (DPICM) – Dual-Purpose Improved Conventional Munition (withdrawn from service), range: 11.5 km (7.1 mi) M927 (HERA) – High Explosive Rocket Assisted projectile, range: 16.5 km (10.3 mi) M1064 (IR) – Infrared illuminating projectile, range: 19.5 km (12.1 mi) M1130 (HE PFF BB) – High Explosive Pre-Formed Fragments Base Bleed projectile – range: 13.0 km (8.1 mi)^[source]M119 howitzer · Ammunition; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage with M176 propelling charges: M548 (HERA) – High Explosive Rocket Assisted projectile, range: 15.1 km (9.4 mi)^[source]M119 howitzer · Ammunition; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage with M200 propelling charge: M760 (HE) – High Explosive projectile, range: 14.0 km (8.7 mi) M915 (DPICM) – Dual-Purpose Improved Conventional Munition (withdrawn from service), range: 14.1 km (8.8 mi)^[source]M119 howitzer · Ammunition; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage with M219 propelling charge: M913 (HERA) – High Explosive Rocket Assisted projectile, range: 19.5 km (12.1 mi)^[source]M119 howitzer · Ammunition; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage with M350 propelling charges: M1130A1 (HE PFF BB) – High Explosive Pre-Formed Fragments Base Bleed projectile, range 17.0 km (10.6 mi)^[source]M119 howitzer · Ammunition; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage	—

Source measurement

The M119 howitzer is a lightweight 105 mm howitzer , used by the United States Army . It is the American licensed version of the British L119 light gun . The M119 is typically towed by the M1097 or M1152 High Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) , and can be easily airlifted by helicopter , or airdropped by parachute .^[source]M119 howitzer · Lead; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

The howitzer was designed and produced by the British Royal Ordnance Factories as the L118 light gun . In the L118 configuration, the 105 mm ammunition is cased separate loading ammunition. The L118 entered service with the British Army in 1976 and is used by parachute and commando field artillery regiments. It saw combat during the Falklands War , where the 30 guns in action fired up to 400 rounds per gun per day, mostly at "charge super"—i.e., the most powerful propellant charge available.^[source]M119 howitzer · Development; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

The L119 is the L118 reconfigured to fire NATO -standard 105 mm semi-fixed ammunition .^[source]M119 howitzer · Development; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

The redesigned system operates the same, but modifies and simplifies some components, including a new buffer and recuperator with a majority of the components removed, and adds the Suspension Lockout System (SLOS) that fixes recoil length at 25 in (64 cm), which removes variable-recoil hardware, reduces stress on the carriage, and lowers buffer rod forces; the new system reduces cost, the system consists of 124 parts and the redesign will reduce that number by 40 percent to 75 parts and reusing 47 parts will consist of 65 percent for the current system, therefore only needing to manufacturing 28 new parts with overall weight savings of 45 lb (20 kg).^[source]M119 howitzer · Development; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

with M67 propelling charges: M1 (HE) – High Explosive projectile, range: 11.5 km (7.1 mi), 2.1 kg of explosive filling M60 (WP) – White Phosphorus smoke generating projectile, range: 15.1 km (9.4 mi) (current variant: M60A2) M84 (HC) – Hexachloroethane smoke generating projectile, range: 11.5 km (7.1 mi) (current variant: 105 mm M84A1) M314 (VL) – Visible Light illuminating projectile, range: 19.5 km (12.1 mi) (current variant: M314A3) M444 (APICM) – Dual-Purpose Improved Conventional Munition (withdrawn from service), range: 11.5 km (7.1 mi) M916 (DPICM) – Dual-Purpose Improved Conventional Munition (withdrawn from service), range: 11.5 km (7.1 mi) M927 (HERA) – High Explosive Rocket Assisted projectile, range: 16.5 km (10.3 mi) M1064 (IR) – Infrared illuminating projectile, range: 19.5 km (12.1 mi) M1130 (HE PFF BB) – High Explosive Pre-Formed Fragments Base Bleed projectile – range: 13.0 km (8.1 mi)^[source]M119 howitzer · Ammunition; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

with M176 propelling charges: M548 (HERA) – High Explosive Rocket Assisted projectile, range: 15.1 km (9.4 mi)^[source]M119 howitzer · Ammunition; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

with M200 propelling charge: M760 (HE) – High Explosive projectile, range: 14.0 km (8.7 mi) M915 (DPICM) – Dual-Purpose Improved Conventional Munition (withdrawn from service), range: 14.1 km (8.8 mi)^[source]M119 howitzer · Ammunition; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

with M219 propelling charge: M913 (HERA) – High Explosive Rocket Assisted projectile, range: 19.5 km (12.1 mi)^[source]M119 howitzer · Ammunition; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

with M350 propelling charges: M1130A1 (HE PFF BB) – High Explosive Pre-Formed Fragments Base Bleed projectile, range 17.0 km (10.6 mi)^[source]M119 howitzer · Ammunition; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

—

Designer	—	Norinco^[source]

Designed	—	1980s – early 1990s^[source]

Unit cost	—	$ 7.1 millions^[source]

Armor	—	Protection against small arms fire and artillery shell splinters^[source]

Main armament	—	PLL-01 howitzer^[source]

Secondary armament	—	12.7 mm heavy machine gun 2 sets of 4-barrel grenade launchers^[source]

Power/weight	—	15 hp/tonne^[source]

Suspension	—	Torsion bar^[source]

Reported operators	Reported operator · Kurdistan Region Reported operator · Saudi Arabia Reported operator · United States Reported operator · Ukraine	Reported operator · Saudi Arabia Reported operator · Algeria Reported operator · China Reported operator · Ethiopia Reported operator · Kuwait