M-119A1
Unofficial
names/slang: n/a
Function:
Provides direct and indirect fire support to highly
mobile light infantry divisions and separate
brigades.
Date
deployed: 1989
Contractor:
Royal Ordnance, Nottingham, England
Unit cost:
unavailable
Length:
16' - 0" in-tow; 20' - 9" firing position
Width: 5'
- 10"
Weight:
4,270 lbs.
Height:
4' - 6" in-tow; 7' - 3" firing position
Rate of Fire:
Sustained: 3 rpm (for 30 minutes); Rapid Fire: 6 rpm
(for 2 minutes)
Ammo type:
105mm NATO standard shells. M1 High Explosive, M314
Illuminating, M60/M60A2 White Phosphorous (smoke),
M760 High Explosive, M913 HERA.
Guidance:
M137A1 Panoramic Telescope, M90A2 Straight Telescope
Range:
approx. 11,400 m (19,500 m max)
Crew: 7
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The M119A1 is a
light weight air mobile air droppable (by parachute)
or Towed Howitzer with an average crew of seven
soldiers. It provides direct and indirect fire
support to highly mobile light infantry divisions
and separate brigades. The howitzer can be quickly
moved and employed to provide maximum fire power
with a minimum of combat loaded weight. It also
provides a low silhouette and requires no recoil
pit. These aspects combined makes the M119A1
Howitzer one of the most lethal weapon systems in
the Army inventory.
The M119A1 was originally designed, developed,
and produced by Royal Ordnance, Nottingham, England
as the L118/L119 British Light Gun. In the L118
configuration, the weapon uses separate loading
105mm Abbott type ammunition. The L118 served with
distinction during the Falkland Islands conflict.
The L119 is identical to the L118 except for the
cannon tube which is reconfigured to fire all NATO
standard 105mm semi-fixed ammunition.
The U.S. Army, based largely on the success of
the L118 during the Falkland Island campaign,
purchased operational testing weapons to determine
the feasibility of using this weapon in the U.S.
Army's new Light Division concept. Key in the Army's
evaluation was the ability to airlift an entire
Division artillery within the severe light division
air transport constraints. The M119A1 easily met
this critical challenge. Once the operational
questions were satisfactorily answered, the U.S.
Army negotiated both a production contract and a
license agreement (for production within the U.S.)
with Royal Ordnance in 1987. Deliveries to the U.S.
Army commenced in December 1989 to the 7th Infantry
Division, Ft. Ord, California.
While the original design of the L119 met or
exceeded all the operational requirements, the U.S.
Army has carefully selected certain components for
redesign to improve both maintainability and safety.
In addition, the U.S. Army has an ongoing system
improvement program. Some of the more significant
changes which have been incorporated into current
production, include:
- Added U.S.
standard fire control (digital)
- Increased
low-temperature capability from -25 F to -50 F
- Improved
interchangeability of spare/repair parts
- Simplified tail
light assembly (standard M198 Howitzer lights)
- Improved trail
access cover
- Reduced
maintenance on the elevating clutch
- Increased trail
life
- Improved
maintainability on: Saddle and Cut-off gear
Even though the M119A1 can be pulled with any
number of vehicles manufactured throughout the
world, the U.S. Army uses the tough, reliable, and
combat proven M1097 High Mobility Multi-purpose
Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV).
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