Howitzer

Howitzer
Firing of a 155 mm howitzer by the 90th Field Artillery Battalion, US 24th Infantry Division, during the Korean War
Type	Artillery
Specifications
Barrels	1
Effective firing range	Varies by model
Maximum firing range	Typically several kilometers to tens of kilometers

The howitzer (/ˈhaʊ.ɪtsər/) is an artillery weapon that falls between a cannon (or field gun) and a mortar. It is generally aimed lower than a mortar but higher than a cannon. With their long-range capabilities, howitzers can be used to great effect in a battery formation with other artillery pieces, such as long-barreled guns, mortars, and rocket artillery.

The term "howitzer" originated from the Czech word houfnice, meaning "crowd", which was later adapted into various European languages. Developed in the late 16th century as a medium-trajectory weapon for siege warfare, howitzers were valued for their ability to fire explosive shells and incendiary materials into fortifications. Unlike mortars, which had fixed firing angles, howitzers could be fired at various angles, providing greater flexibility in combat.

Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, howitzers evolved to become more mobile and versatile. The introduction of rifling in the mid-19th century led to significant changes in howitzer design and usage. By the early 20th century, howitzers were classified into different categories based on their size and role, including field howitzers, siege howitzers, and super-heavy siege howitzers.

During World War I and World War II, howitzers played significant roles in combat, particularly in trench warfare and artillery-heavy strategies such as the Soviet deep battle doctrine. In modern times, the distinctions between guns and howitzers have become less pronounced, with many artillery pieces combining characteristics of both. Contemporary howitzers are often self-propelled, mounted on tracked or wheeled vehicles, and capable of firing at high angles with adjustable propellant charges for increased range and accuracy.