GC-45 howitzer
| GC-45 155 mm Howitzer | |
|---|---|
| Type | Howitzer |
| Place of origin | Canada |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1970s-present |
| Used by | See users |
| Wars | Iran–Iraq War, Gulf War, Cambodian–Thai border dispute |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Gerald Bull |
| Designed | 1970s |
| Manufacturer | Space Research Corporation, Noricum, NORINCO |
| Produced | 1980s-Present |
| Variants | GHN-45, PLL01 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 8,220 kg (18,120 lb) |
| Barrel length | 6.98 meters |
| Caliber | 155 mm (6.1 in.) |
| Carriage | Split trail |
| Elevation | -89 to 1,280 mils |
| Traverse | Left 534 mils, Right 711 mils |
| Rate of fire | maximum: 5 rpm sustained: 2 rpm |
| Muzzle velocity | 897 metres per second (2,940 ft/s) |
| Maximum firing range | 39.6 km (24.6 mi) with Base bleed |
The GC-45 (Gun, Canada, 45-calibre) is a 155 mm howitzer designed by Gerald Bull's Space Research Corporation (SRC) in the 1970s. Versions were produced by a number of companies during the 1980s, notably in Austria and South Africa.
The most publicized use of the design was in Iraq, where the GHN-45 variant used by some Iraqi artillery units had a longer range than any coalition cannon systems. This initially caused considerable worry on the part of the allied forces in the Persian Gulf War.