Credit
Staff Sgt. Vance · Public domain · Resized · Public domain · Source ↗ · Modified
FORCETALLY
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At a glance
M198 howitzerlarger figure on 1 of 1
Oerlikon 20 mm cannonlarger figure on 0 of 1
Counts only measures both sources give with the same scope. A larger figure is not a better system.
Measured figures
Combat
Single sourceTravel
Single sourceConfiguration
| Specification | M198 howitzer | Oerlikon 20 mm cannon |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Towed howitzer[source] | Autocannon[source] |
| Place of origin | United States[source] | Switzerland[source] |
| In service | 1979–present[source] | 1937–present[source] |
| Used by | See Operators[source] | — |
| Wars |
Combat: 11 m (36 ft 2 in) Travel: 12.3 m (40 ft 6 in)[source]
Travel
Single sourceTravel: 2.8 m (9 ft 2 in)[source]
Travel
Single sourceTravel: 2.9 m (9 ft 6 in)[source]
Mass
Single source7,154 kg (15,772 lb)[source]
L70 Total gun barrel weight
Single sourceL85 Empty
Single sourceLoaded with 200 rounds
Single sourceMinus breech mechanism
Single sourceL70 Total gun barrel weight: 68.04 kilograms (150.0 lb ) Minus breech mechanism: 20.865 kg (46.00 lb) L85 Empty: 92.0 kilograms (202.8 lb ) Loaded with 200 rounds: 182.0 kg (401.2 lb)[source]
enlisted men
Single source9 enlisted men[source]
Maximum; Conventional
Single sourceMaximum; RAP
Single sourceMaximum; RAP and L/52 barrel
Single sourceConventional: 22.4km (14 mi), RAP : 30km (18.6 mi), RAP and L/52 barrel: 40km (25 mi)[source]
Effective; Against low-flying aircraft (HE round) L70
Single sourceEffective; L85
Single sourceMaximum
Single sourceSustained
Single sourceMaximum: 4 rpm Sustained: 2 rpm[source]
L70: Cyclic · source measurement 1
Single sourceL70: Cyclic · source measurement 3
Single sourceBars compare reported quantities only. A larger figure does not make a system better; configurations and test conditions differ.
Lebanese Civil War Gulf War Somali Civil War War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) Iraq War War in Iraq (2013-2017) Syrian Civil War 2025 Cambodia‒Thailand conflict 2026 Afghanistan-Pakistan war[source]
World War II Nigerian Civil War[source] |
| Designed | 1968–1977[source] | 1935[source] |
|---|
| Manufacturer | Rock Island Arsenal (US)[source] | Oerlikon Oerlikon Contraves[source] |
|---|
| Unit cost | US$ 527,337[source] | — |
|---|
| Produced | 1978–1992[source] | 1937−1995[source] |
|---|
| No. built | 1,600+[source] | 124,734[source] |
|---|
| Shell | Separate loading charge and projectile[source] | L70: 20×110mmRB L85: 20×128mm[source] |
|---|
| Breech | Interrupted screw[source] | — |
|---|
| Recoil | Hydro-pneumatic[source] | — |
|---|
| Carriage | Split trail[source] | — |
|---|
| Elevation | −5° to +72°[source] | Manual, -15°/+90°[source] |
|---|
| Traverse | 45°[source] | Manual, full 360°[source] |
|---|
| Designer | — | Reinhold Becker[source] |
|---|
| Variants | — | Oerlikon FF MG FF cannon[source] |
|---|
| Shell weight | — | HE: 123 g (4.3 oz) HE/T: 116 g (4.1 oz)[source] |
|---|
| Barrels | — | Single barrel (progressive RH parabolic twist, 9 grooves)[source] |
|---|
| Action | — | API blowback Gas operated, power reserve loading[source] |
|---|
| Feed system | — | Cylindrical magazine holding 60 rounds; later adjusted for belt-fed gun[source] |
|---|
| Reported operators |
| — |
|---|
Maximum; HE round at 45° L70
Single sourceMaximum; L85
Single sourceAgainst low-flying aircraft (HE round) L70: 914 m (1,000 yd) L85: 1,500 m (1,600 yd)[source]
HE round at 45° L70: 4,389 m (4,800 yd) L85: 6,800 m (7,400 yd)[source]
Practical L85: Cyclic
Single sourceL70: Cyclic: 450 rounds per minute Practical: 250-320 rounds per minute L85: Cyclic: 900 to 1,000 rounds per minute[source]