Type 75 SPG

History

Like other militaries around the world, the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) employs the 155mm self-propelled tracked howitzer as a support weapon for its ground operations. The vehicle became the Type 75 and was adopted in 1975 to complement the limited Type 74 model, which was equipped with a 105mm howitzer, of which only 20 were produced in total.

The Type 75 managed a healthier production run of 201 cars and has been in service since its introduction. It plays a clear role in serving JGSDF. The 1985 Type 99 has been developed as the modern successor, with 99 examples of the new breed completed to date.

Design and development of the Type 75 began in 1969 and continued until 1975, before it was officially accepted and put into mass production. Pilot vehicles for testing and evaluation were built between 1971 and 1972. The car weighed 28 tonnes (short) and was configured no different from the classic American M109 series. The driver sits on the front right, with the power pack to his left.

The turret is located at the rear of the hull. The chassis is inherited from the Type 74 main battle tank and includes six twin wheels on one side of the hull and a drive sprocket at the front. No rear chain idler is used, just like no chain return roller.

The Type 74 MBT has a rear sprocket and a front idler with the driver at the front left and the engine at the rear of the fuselage. Therefore, significant design changes were made to the Type 74 MBT to achieve the Type 75 SPH. Development of the chassis fell to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, which also supplied the engine - a 450 hp 6ZF 6-cylinder diesel.

It has a top speed of 29 mph and a range of up to 190 miles. Suspension is achieved with a proven torsion bar arrangement. Armor protection is made of aluminum.

Nippon Steel was commissioned to develop turrets and artillery systems. The latter became a 155mm L30 howitzer, the installation of which provided an inherent height for indirect fire.

The turret allows a full 360-degree traversal, allowing the vehicle to engage at any angle without turning to the target area. The main gun is centrally fitted with the necessary smoke vents and a muzzle brake with double baffles. The boat carries 28 x 155mm projectiles, which are loaded separately from the required luggage load.

Local defense is supported by a .50 caliber heavy machine gun and 1,000 x 0.50 caliber bullets on the right turret hatch. The driver, loader and commander all operate under the armored hatch, while a crew of 6 is deployed (two gunners, 1st floor and a radio operator are also part of the crew).

The Type 75 has an effective range of 21,000 yards using its basic high-explosive (HE) ammunition. The Rocket Assisted Projectile (RAP) has a range of up to 26,000 yards, giving the Type 75 a decent range on the modern battlefield. The artillery system, coupled with a well-trained crew, can achieve a rate of fire of six rounds per minute.

Thus, simultaneous firing of multiple vehicles can provide a deadly barrage far in front of the main force, helping to destroy enemy adultery or disperse concentrated enemy forces.

Although its successor has been named and appears in increasing numbers, the Type 75 remains active in the JGSDF's inventory.

Specification

Basic

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Performance

Armor

28 x 155mm shells

1,000 x 12.7mm ammo

Changes