FH-88 Knowpia

FH-88
FH-88
Type	Howitzer
Place of origin	Singapore
Service history
In service	1988 - present
Used by	See Users
Production history
Designer	ST Kinetics
Designed	1983
Manufacturer	ST Kinetics
Produced	1987
Variants	FH-2000
Specifications
Mass	12,800kg (12.59 tons)
Barrel length	6.10m (20ft)
Crew	8
Shell	155 mm NATO
Caliber	155 mm 39 calibre
Breech	Semi-automatic Interrupted screw with electronic rammer
Carriage	6 wheeled split trail
Elevation	-3°/+70°
Traverse	±20° from centerline
Muzzle velocity	765m/sec (2510ft/sec)
Maximum firing range	19,000m (20,780yds)

The FH-88 or Field Howitzer 88^[1] was the first locally designed howitzer developed for the Singapore Army. It is a 155 mm/39-calibre towed howitzer gun.

Development edit

Ordnance Development and Engineering of Singapore (ODE, now Singapore Technologies Kinetics) began development of the FH-88 in 1983 with five prototypes being produced over a period of four years.^[2] These were followed by a preproduction batch of six 155 mm FH-88 gun-howitzers that incorporated a number of improvements as a result of trials with the prototype weapons.

First production FH-88s were completed in 1987, with the weapon becoming operational with the Singapore Army the following year, replacing the Soltam M-71.^[2] The howitzer was publicly presented in 1988.^[3]

Operators edit

Map with FH-88 operators in blue

Singapore: Known to use 52 FH-88s.^[2]^[4]
Indonesia: Known to have 5 FH-88s delivered in 1997.^[2]

References edit

^ "Army Unveils Locally Designed and Built Light Weight Howitzer". Defense aerospace.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Singapore Technologies Kinetics 155 mm FH-88 gun-howitzer (Singapore) - Jane's Armour and Artillery". www.janes.com. Archived from the original on 24 September 2008. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
^ http://bellschool.anu.edu.au/sites/default/files/publications/attachments/2016-03/070_Singapore%E2%80%99s_defence_industries_%28Canberra_papers_on_strategy_and_defence%29_Bilveer_Singh_78p_073151131X.pdf ^{[bare URL PDF]}
^ https://www.files.ethz.ch/isn/27014/WP59.pdf ^{[bare URL PDF]}