Israel deploys outdated howitzers in escalating Lebanon conflict
The Israeli army (IDF) has launched a ground operation in southern Lebanon. According to the Military News UA profile on platform X, M109A5 Doher self-propelled howitzers also participate in the attack. This weapon has not been used for years and significantly lags behind modern counterparts.
The conflict in the Middle East has been escalating for at least a few weeks. At the end of September 2024, the Israeli army conducted a massive bombardment targeting Hezbollah's headquarters in Beirut, and now the IDF is launching ground strikes supported by aviation and artillery.
Regarding the artillery, a photo of the venerable M109A5 Doher howitzers used to shell Lebanon appeared on social media. Although the Israeli army is working on developing a successor to the Doher, it still has around 600 units of this 155 mm calibre howitzer in its arsenal. Plans to replace the older machines are primarily due to the fact that the M109A5 lags behind modern competitors in capabilities.
Doher howitzers
The self-propelled M109 howitzer was introduced in the 1960s as a successor to the M108 howitzer, whose 105 mm calibre was deemed too small. The U.S. Army ordered nearly 2,000 units of this weapon, and over 1,600 were sold to other countries.
The M109 turned out to be not only effective but also flexible in terms of modifications. In the 1980s, it was upgraded under the HELP program, resulting in the M109A4 version. Improvements included enhanced resistance to nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons, as well as stronger propulsion.
The M109A5, hundreds of which are stored in Israeli warehouses, is a development of this model. This version is equipped with a new M284 cannon with a barrel length of 39 calibres and a new M182 mount. The ammunition reserve was also increased to 36 rounds.
Increased operational capabilities
These modifications significantly increased the firing range – when firing standard ammunition, the M109 can hit targets at a distance of 22 kilometres, and with the use of propulsion-assisted shells, the range increases to 31 kilometres.
However, the range of the howitzers used by the IDF is considerably less than what modern AHS Krab or German PzH 2000 offer. Both of these artillery systems achieve a range of about 40 kilometres.
