History
The OTO Melara 105 mm Mod 56 began life in the 1950s to meet the requirement for a modern light-weight howitzer that could be used by the Italian Armys Alpini brigades mountain artillery regiments. The fact that it remained in service with those same units a full half century after the howitzer's introduction is testament to the gun's quality. The Mod 56 has a number of unique characteristics for a weapon of its caliber, including the ability for its crew to manhandle the gun (due to its light weight), and the capability of being able to be used in the direct fire role. Being a pack howitzer, it is designed to be broken down into 12 parts, each of which can be easily transported.
The capability of this weapon to be "knocked-down" allows the sections to be transported a number of ways although the original design was for mule-pack using special pack saddles. More usually it is towed by a light vehicle such as a jeep or Land Rover, and with the shield removed it can be carried inside a M113 APC. However, its particular attraction to Western Armies in the 1960s was its light weight meant it could be lifted in one piece by helicopter. This made the gun popular with light artillery units in many countries as well as the more specialized mountain and airborne troops. Over all, the Mod 56 has served in more than 30 countries worldwide, of which a partial listing of the major operators is listed below.
As an added refinement to the gun's mass, the Mod 56 is built to be an artillery piece with a reputation of ease with which it can be assembled and then disassembled into twelve components within minutes. The gun's light weight did have a drawback, however. It lacked robustness necessary for sustained operations, Australian and New Zealand Gunners in Vietnam found the weapon unsuitable for continuous operations. The guns in Vietnam were replaced by the sturdy US-made M101A1 after some 2 years. This lack of durability also led to their being carried on trucks for longer distances outside the combat zone. What's more was that fact that the Mod 56 offered limited protection to its crew.
The Chinese manufacturer NORINCO offers a version of the Model 56 Pack Howitzer and its associated ammunition.
In Commonwealth service, the gun was known simply as the L5 Pack Howitzer with L10 ordnance. However, its lack of range and the indifferent lethality of its ammunition led UK to start development of its replacement, the L118 Light Gun, only two years after the Pack Howitzer entering service.
The gun also became the standard equipment of the Allied Command Europe Mobile Force (AMF) artillery, equipping the batteries provided by Canada, Belgium, German, Italy and UK (until 1975).
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