Howitzer

A howitzer is a specialized type of artillery weapon. It occupies a unique middle ground between a cannon and a mortar.

While a cannon is a field gun designed for low-angle fire, a mortar is designed for high-angle fire. The howitzer is versatile because it can perform both roles. In military terms, the distinction between these firing styles occurs at 45 degrees.

This capability allows the weapon to hit targets through various paths. It can fire directly at a target or lob projectiles high into the air.

The mechanism of a howitzer relies on the angle of the barrel and the amount of propellant used. If the barrel is aimed between 0 and 45 degrees, it uses low-angle fire. If the barrel is aimed between 45 and 90 degrees, it uses high-angle fire.

This high angle allows the shell to follow a steep, curved path. Such a path is perfect for hitting targets behind obstacles like hills or walls. It is also useful for dropping shells vertically into deep trenches. Modern howitzers often use adjustable propellant charges. This means the crew can change the amount of gunpowder to control the shell's range and accuracy.

Historically, howitzers were categorized into several distinct types based on their size and intended role. In the early 20th century, armies used field howitzers for mobile combat. They also used siege howitzers to attack fixed fortifications. As technology grew, super-heavy siege howitzers were developed for massive destruction.

These massive weapons, such as the German Big Bertha, were so large they required mechanical transport. They could not be moved by horses and had to be assembled at their firing positions. Other categories included light siege howitzers and medium siege howitzers, which were defined by their caliber and shell weight.

The history of the howitzer is tied to its name and its early uses. The English word comes from the Czech word "houfnice," which means "crowd" or "throng." In the 1420s, the Hussites used short-barreled cannons to fire into crowds of infantry or cavalry.

The first true howitzers appeared in the late 16th century for siege warfare. They were used to deliver explosive shells or incendiary materials into forts. Unlike mortars, which had a fixed firing angle, howitzers could be adjusted to many different angles. This made them much more flexible than the weapons they were meant to supplement.

Significant technological changes occurred during the 18th and 19th centuries. In 1758, the Russian Empire introduced the licorne, a gun-howitzer with a conical chamber. During the American Civil War, the Napoleon 12-pounder became a famous example of a gun-howitzer.

In the mid-19th century, the introduction of rifling changed everything. Rifling refers to grooves inside the barrel that spin the projectile. This allowed field guns to fire cylindrical projectiles with much greater range. By 1859, many armies used rifled field guns to replace both old guns and smoothbore howitzers.

The scale of howitzer power is often measured by the weight of the shells they carry. For example, a field gun weighing one ton might only fire shells weighing about 6 kilograms. However, a howitzer of the same weight could fire shells that were twice as large.

Siege howitzers were even larger. Light siege howitzers used shells weighing between 10 and 15 kilograms. Medium siege howitzers fired shells weighing about 30 kilograms. Heavy siege howitzers could fire shells weighing more than 100 kilograms.

In modern warfare, the line between a gun and a howitzer has become very thin. Many contemporary artillery pieces combine the characteristics of both. The United States military often refers to these hybrid weapons as howitzers. In some other armies, such as the British, they are still called guns. Today, many howitzers are self-propelled. This means they are mounted on wheeled or tracked vehicles so they can move quickly across the battlefield. This evolution has made them a central part of modern artillery systems.