"155 mm" is a very widely used calibre (barrel internal diameter) for artillery guns and their corresponding artillery shells.
Land warfare
Historic calibres
France - 1874 The caliber originated in France after the Franco-Prussian War (1870–1871).
A French artillery committee met on 2 February 1874 to discuss new models for French fortress and siege artillery, among which there was a weapon in the calibre range.
After several meetings, on 16 April 1874 the committee settled on the calibre, and led to the De Bange 155 mm cannon.
NATO standard Among the existing and the former 155 mm artillery shells, there is one that has been standardised by NATO under both the AOP-29 part 1 (in reference to STANAG 4425), and under the (Joint Ballistics Memorandum of Understanding). This standard defines a standard 155 mm projectile with a 23 litre combustion chamber volume.
NATO is now pushing from standardised artillery shell to sharable ammunition. The standard described above enables the use of NATO shells in all NATO guns. But they still need to be qualified on each gun to control the performances (ballistic characteristics) and safety.
Retirement of other calibres This has led to the obsolescence of larger caliber artillery shells such as the . Some militaries continue to retain the smaller 105 mm () weapons for their light weight and greater portability. Russia and some former Soviet states use artillery in similar roles.
Naval warfare Since the end of World War II, the caliber has not found any use among naval forces despite its ubiquity on land with most NATO and aligned navies using , , , or guns on modern warships. At one point the British Ministry of Defence studied "up-gunning" the Royal Navy's 4.5 inch Mark 8 naval guns to give increased firepower and a common caliber between the Royal Navy and the British Army. Despite superficially appearing to be inferior based on a simple comparison of round diameters, when firing conventional ammunition the smaller, 4.5 inch Mark 8 naval gun is comparable to the standard 155 mm (6.1 in) gun-howitzer of the British Army. The standard shell from a 4.5 inch Mark 8 naval gun has the same, if not better, range. Only by using rocket-assisted projectiles (RAPs) can most 155 mm (6.1 in) guns have comparable range to the 4.5 inch Mark 8 naval gun and by doing so there is a reduction in the payload. This is because naval guns can be built much more strongly than land-based self-propelled gun-howitzers, and have much longer barrels in relation to caliber (for example the 4.5 inch Mark 8 naval gun has a barrel length of 55 calibers, while the standard AS-90 self-propelled gun has a barrel length of 39 calibers). This allows naval guns to fire heavier shells in comparison to shell diameter and to use larger propellant charges in relation to shell weight, leading to greater projectile velocities. Even without active cooling, the heavier naval gun barrels allow a faster sustained rate of fire than field guns, and this is exploited with an autoloading system with a capacity of several hundred rounds. The 155 mm (6.1 in) is better than the 4.5 inch Mark 8 naval gun for firing cannon-launched guided projectiles (CLGP) as the lower velocity of the 155 mm (6.1 in) shell makes it much easier for the projectiles' internal electronic guidance systems to survive being fired.
While the US Navy's Advanced Gun System (AGS) also uses a 155 mm (6.1 in) caliber, it is not compatible with NATO-standard 155 mm (6.1 in) ammunition. Only one type of ammunition was ever developed and procurement was discontinued in 2016 due to its high cost, making the AGS unusable.
155 mm guns
Current
NATO and allies
155 K 83 155 GH 52 APU
CAESAR GCT
Artillery Gun Module PzH 2000 / / FH70
SIGMA 155 ATMOS 2000 Soltam M-71
Palmaria
Type 99 Type 19
AHS Krab
K9 Thunder KH179
FH-2000 SLWH Pegasus SSPH Primus
155 mm SpGH Zuzana
Santa Bárbara Sistemas 155/52
Archer artillery system FH77
Panter howitzer / T-155 Fırtına
2S22 Bohdana 2P22 Bohdana
AS-90 / M777
M109 howitzer M114 howitzer M198 howitzer
Other countries
Compatible with NATO projectiles:
Dhanush ATAGS Bharat-52 MArG 155-BR
2S19M1-155 – the 155 mm export version
Nora B-52
Unknown compatibility:
WAC-21 PLZ-45 PLZ-05 PCL-181
G5 G6
Historic
GPF 155 mm St. Chamond 155 mm Schneider 155 mm Obusier de 155 mm Modèle 50 TRF1
Soltam M-68
Type 75
Nora B-52
FH-88
Bandkanon 1
M1/M2 155 mm "Long Tom" M12 M41 M44 M53
Experimental or prototype-only
XM1203 (five prototypes built) XM2001 (one prototype built). Both never entered service M1299 (20 prototypes built)
AHS Kryl – one prototype built, never entered service
155 mm naval guns
NATO compatible : Modular Naval Artillery Concept (MONARC) – proposed but never produced : 155 mm (6.1") Future Naval Gun – proposed but never produced
Not NATO compatible : 15.5 cm/60 3rd Year Type naval gun : Canon de 155 mm Modèle 1920 : Advanced Gun System (AGS) – in limited service, but with no ammunition available
155 mm shells
Country of origin Name Service Notes WS-35 2012–current A family of guided artillery projectiles developed for the People's Liberation Army (PLA). The WS-35B has a base bleed unit, the PLA claim the range to be from 39-, 45- and 52-calibre barrelled howitzers. The WS-35R is a rocket-assisted projectile, the PLA claim the range to be from 39-, 45- and 52-calibre barrelled howitzers.. OE 155 56/69 1959–1990s A high explosive projectile developed for the Mk F3 155 mm and used various French howitzers until replaced by the OE 155 F1 HE.. OE 155 F1 HE 1990–current A high-explosive fragmentation projectile. Maximum range is from the 40-caliber barrel of the TRF1 howitzer, or when fitted with a base bleed unit.. andDM131 (Rh40) 2002–current The DM121 (also known as the Rh30) is an explosive projectiles developed for the PzH 2000 but compatible with any 155 mm NATO howitzer, the DM131 (also known as the Rh40) is similar but features a base bleed unit. Maximum range of the DM121 is respectively from 39- and 52-calibre barrelled howitzers. Maximum range of the DM131 is respectively from 39- and 52-calibre barrelled howitzers.. SMArt 155 2000–current A carrier shell with two anti-armour and anti-artillery submunitions. Maximum range of from a 39-calibre howitzer and from a 52-calibre howitzer..DM662 DPICM with M85 or DM1385 bombletIn service (Finland)DM662 is a 155 mm artillery shell based cluster munition projectile, which contains 49 bomblets. This was produced by Rheinmetall with DM1385 High Explosive Dual Purpose (Anti armour and Anti personnel) bomblets and also was produced by Norway with license, however this utilized Israeli M85 HEDP bomblet.