PCL-181 vs Soltam M-71: Specs Compared

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

AArtillery

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

Soltam M-71 — licensed reference photograph

BArtillery

Soltam M-71

Howitzer

Credit

Ido Stern · CC BY 3.0 · Resized · CC BY 3.0 · Source ↗ · Modified

First system

Second system

At a glance

Side by side

PCL-181larger figure on 1 of 2

Mass+172%

Soltam M-71larger figure on 1 of 2

Crew+33%

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

Measured figures

Head to head

15 of 43 rows sourced on both sides

6.5mSH-15

—

Length

All recorded figures & sources

6.5 m

SH-15

Single source

6.5 m (21 ft 4 in) (SH-15)^[source]

2.66mSH-15

—

Width

All recorded figures & sources

2.66 m

SH-15

Single source

2.66 m (8 ft 9 in) (SH-15)^[source]

< 3.6m<

—

Height

All recorded figures & sources

< 3.6 m

Single source

<3.6 m (11 ft 10 in)^[source]

25t

9.2t

Mass+172%

All recorded figures & sources

25,000 kg

Mass

Single source

25 t (25 long tons; 28 short tons)^[source]

9,200 kg

Mass

Single source

9,200 kg (20,300 lb )^[source]

Crew+33%

All recorded figures & sources

6 people

Crew

Single source

6^[source]

8 people

Crew

Single source

8^[source]

90km/hMaximum; Maximum speed

—

Speed

All recorded figures & sources

90 km/h

Maximum; Maximum speed

Single source

90 km/h (56 mph)^[source]

53kmMaximum; rocket-assisted projectile

29kmMaximum; Maximum firing range

RangeScopes differ

All recorded figures & sources

20 km

Effective; conventional projectile

Single source

53 km

Maximum; rocket-assisted projectile

Single source

20 km (12 mi) (conventional projectile)^[source]

53 km (33 mi) ( rocket-assisted projectile )^[source]

21 km

Effective; NATO standard ammunition

Single source

23.5 km

Effective; Tampella standard ammunition

Single source

28.5 km

Maximum; Maximum firing range

Single source

21 km (13 mi) (NATO standard ammunition) 23.5 km (14.6 mi) (Tampella standard ammunition)^[source]

28.5 km (17.7 mi)^[source]

155mmCaliber

155mmNATO

CalibreScopes differ

All recorded figures & sources

155 mm

Caliber

Single source

155 mm (6.1 in)^[source]

155 mm

NATO

Single source

155 mm NATO^[source]

4–6rounds/minSH-15

—

Rate of fire

All recorded figures & sources

4–6 rounds/min

SH-15

Single source

4–6 rounds/min (SH-15)^[source]

52 caliber

6.05mL/39

Barrel length

All recorded figures & sources

52 caliber^[source]PCL-181; main howitzer barrel

6.045 m

L/39

Single source

6.045 m (19 ft 10 in) L/39^[source]

—

820m/s

Muzzle velocity

All recorded figures & sources

820 m/s

Muzzle velocity

Single source

820 m/s (2,700 ft/s)^[source]

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

Configuration

Details

PCL-181 and Soltam M-71 configuration
Specification	PCL-181	Soltam M-71
Type	Self-propelled howitzer^[source]	Howitzer^[source]
Place of origin	China^[source]	Israel^[source]
In service	2019–present^[source]	—
Used by	See § Operators^[source]	See users^[source]
Wars	2025 India–Pakistan conflict^[source]	Yom Kippur War Lebanese Civil War South African Border War 1982 Lebanon War Gaza War Myanmar Civil War 2025 Cambodia-Thailand border conflict^[source]
Designer	Nanjing University of Science and Technology^[source]	Soltam Systems^[source]
Manufacturer	Norinco^[source]	Soltam^[source]
Barrels	52 caliber^[source]	—
Breech	Semi-automatic vertical wedge type breech block^[source]	Horizontal sliding block^[source]
Elevation	Around 20° to 70° (except for front due to cab)^[source]	-3° to 52°^[source]
Traverse	360°^[source]	±37.5° from centerline^[source]
Main armament	PLL-01 155 mm howitzer gun^[source]	—
Engine	diesel^[source]	—
Drive	6×6^[source]	—
Suspension	hydropneumatic suspension^[source]	—
Designed	—	1971–1974^[source]
Produced	—	1975–^[source]
Variants	—	Soltam M-68^[source]
Carriage	—	Split trail^[source]
Reported operators	Reported operator · People's Republic of China Reported operator · Pakistan Reported operator · Ethiopia Reported operator · Myanmar	Reported operator · Myanmar Reported operator · Botswana Reported operator · Cameroon Reported operator · Chile Reported operator · Israel Reported operator · Philippines Reported operator · Singapore Reported operator · Slovenia Reported operator · South Africa Reported operator · Thailand

FORCETALLY

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PCL-181

Soltam M-71

Type

Self-propelled howitzer^[source]

Howitzer^[source]

Place of origin

China^[source]

Israel^[source]

In service

2019–present^[source]

—

Used by

See § Operators^[source]

See users^[source]

Wars

2025 India–Pakistan conflict^[source]

Yom Kippur War Lebanese Civil War South African Border War 1982 Lebanon War Gaza War Myanmar Civil War 2025 Cambodia-Thailand border conflict^[source]

Designer

Nanjing University of Science and Technology^[source]

Soltam Systems^[source]

Manufacturer

Norinco^[source]

Soltam^[source]

Barrels

52 caliber^[source]

—

Breech

Semi-automatic vertical wedge type breech block^[source]

Horizontal sliding block^[source]

Elevation

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

-3° to 52°^[source]

Traverse

360°^[source]

±37.5° from centerline^[source]

Main armament

PLL-01 155 mm howitzer gun^[source]

—

Engine

diesel^[source]

—

Drive

6×6^[source]

—

Suspension

hydropneumatic suspension^[source]

—

Designed

—

1971–1974^[source]

Produced

—

1975–^[source]

Variants

—

Soltam M-68^[source]

Carriage

—

Split trail^[source]

Reported operators

Reported operator · People's Republic of China
Reported operator · Pakistan
Reported operator · Ethiopia
Reported operator · Myanmar

Reported operator · Myanmar
Reported operator · Botswana
Reported operator · Cameroon
Reported operator · Chile
Reported operator · Israel
Reported operator · Philippines
Reported operator · Singapore
Reported operator · Slovenia
Reported operator · South Africa
Reported operator · Thailand