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 KBAlarger 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 KBA |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Towed howitzer[source] | Autocannon[source] |
| Place of origin | United States[source] | Switzerland[source] |
| In service | 1979–present[source] | 1975–present[source] |
| Used by | See Operators[source] | See operators |
Combat: 11 m (36 ft 2 in) Travel: 12.3 m (40 ft 6 in)[source]
Length
Single source2,806 mm (110.5 in)[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; Effective firing range
Single sourceMaximum; Maximum firing range
Single sourceMaximum
Single sourceSustained
Single sourceMaximum: 4 rpm Sustained: 2 rpm[source]
Burst
Single sourceSingle shot; Rapid single shot
Single sourceBars compare reported quantities only. A larger figure does not make a system better; configurations and test conditions differ.
| Wars | 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] | — |
|---|
| Designed | 1968–1977[source] | TRW model 6425: designed in 1964–66, programme bought by Oerlikon-Bührle in 1967 KBA design: 1967–73[source] |
|---|
| Manufacturer | Rock Island Arsenal (US)[source] | Oerlikon-Bührle (1973–1989) Oerlikon Contraves AG (1989–1999) Rheinmetall Air Defence AG (1999–2004) Rheinmetall Italia S.p.A (2004–present) Licence manufacturers: Nihon Seiko Jyo[source] |
|---|
| Unit cost | US$ 527,337[source] | — |
|---|
| Produced | 1978–1992[source] | Since 1973[source] |
|---|
| No. built | 1,600+[source] | >6,000 (3,084 were made as of January 2003)[source] |
|---|
| Shell | Separate loading charge and projectile[source] | NATO 25×137mm[source] |
|---|
| Breech | Interrupted screw[source] | Rotating bolt (two-piece snaplock)[source] |
|---|
| Recoil | Hydro-pneumatic[source] | Hydromechanical[source] |
|---|
| Carriage | Split trail[source] | — |
|---|
| Elevation | −5° to +72°[source] | — |
|---|
| Traverse | 45°[source] | — |
|---|
| Designer | — | TRW Inc. Oerlikon-Bührle[source] |
|---|
| Developed from | — | TRW model 6425[source] |
|---|
| Action | — | Gas operated[source] |
|---|
| Feed system | — | Dual Feed[source] |
|---|
| Reported operators |
| — |
|---|
Single shot; Rapid single shot: 175 rpm; Burst: 600 rpm[source]