Mk F3 155 mm

Mk F3 155mm
Type	Self-propelled artillery
Place of origin	France
Service history
In service	1962–present
Used by	See Operators
Production history
Designed	1959[1]
Manufacturer	GIAT
Produced	1962–1997
No. built	621
Specifications
Mass	17.41 tonnes
Length	6.22 m (20 ft 5 in)
Width	2.72 m (8 ft 11 in)
Height	2.085 m (6 ft 10 in)
Crew	2 + 2 in the vehicle 8-man crew to fire the gun
Shell	Separate loading bagged charge and 44 kg (97 lb) projectile
Caliber	155 mm L/33 caliber
Breech	Interrupted screw
Recoil	Hydro-pneumatic
Carriage	Tracked
Elevation	-6° to +75°
Traverse	360°
Muzzle velocity	725 m/s (2,380 ft/s)
Maximum firing range	20 km (12 mi)
Armor	20 mm (0.79 in)
Main armament	155mm 33-calibre howitzer
Engine	SOFAM Model 8Gxb 8-cylinder water-cooled 250 HP petrol engine
Power/weight	14.4 hp/tonne
Suspension	Torsion-bar with shock absorbers
Operational range	300 km (190 mi)
Maximum speed	60 km/h (37 mph) on road

The 155 mm self-propelled gun Mk F3, or the Canon de 155 mm Mle F3 Automoteur (Cn-155-F3-Am), was developed in the early 1950s by the French Army to replace their American M41 Gorilla 155mm self-propelled guns. The Mk F3 is the smallest and lightest 155 mm motorized gun carriage ever produced, and because of its size and low cost it has found considerable success on the export market. Constructed on a modified AMX-13 light tank chassis, the Mk F3 is novel in incorporating room inside for only two of the eight required crewmen (the others riding in support vehicles). This allows the 155 mm gun to be placed on a smaller chassis than that employed by other armies, but exposes the outside crew members to enemy fire and other hazards.