Yugoimport develops longer-ranging, harder-hitting M56 howitzer

Serbia's Yugoimport has completed development and testing of an upgrade package for the 105 mm M56 howitzer, increasing its range and mobility.

The upgrade work to create the M56A1 centres on the replacement of the original 105 mm / 28 cal barrel with a 105 mm / 33 cal tube made of stronger steel to enable projectiles to be fired with a higher charge. This new barrel has a claimed life of at least 18,000 equivalent full-charge (EFC) rounds.

Other modifications include a new double-baffle muzzle brake, a new breech block and a horizontal sliding breech mechanism made of stronger steel. It also features a new hydropneumatic equilibrator to compensate for the increased weight of the new barrel, its recoil now between 900 and 1,150 mm. An additional mass is also fitted to the end of each trail leg to counteract the extra weight of the barrel when the weapon is being towed.

The upgraded M56A1 can fire the standard 105 mm M1 high-explosive (HE) projectile with a new, locally developed S1 charge to a maximum range of 14.5 km and minimum range of 2 km.