List of artillery by type

This list of artillery catalogues types of weapons found in batteries of national armed forces' artillery units.

Some weapons used by the infantry units, known as infantry support weapons, are often misidentified as artillery weapons because of their use and performance characteristics, sometimes known colloquially as the "infantryman's artillery" which has been particularly applied to mortars.

This list does not differentiate between guns and cannons, although some designations use one word or the other. The word "cannon" is of Latin origin, borrowed into the English language from the French, while "gun" appears to be of German language origin and is found in earlier use in England. There is almost universal use of gunner in the English language to refer to artillery personnel, and not the French term cannonier. Some English speaking armies do use the originally French term bombardier as a rank in artillery units.

Vehicle guns

Aircraft artillery

Main article: List of aircraft artillery

Aircraft artillery has been used since the first world war.

Naval artillery

Main article: List of naval guns

Naval guns are manufactured based on the same principles as the land based artillery ordnance, but differ significantly in system design and use. Never referred to as "artillery" it is however often called upon to provide naval artillery fire support to the land forces operation in the coastal region within their range.

Railway artillery

Main article: List of railway artillery

Railway artillery involved large guns and howitzers mounted and transported on specially-constructed railway cars.

Mortars

Mortar carriers

Main article: List of mortar carriers

Heavy mortars

Main article: List of heavy mortars

Heavy mortars are large-caliber mortars designed to fire a relatively heavy shell on a high angle trajectory. Such weapons have a relatively short range, but are usually less complex than similar caliber field artillery.

This category includes the "Trench Mortars" of World War I which were all too heavy and cumbersome, and hence lacked the mobility, to be classed as infantry mortars.

Field artillery

Muzzle-loading guns

Main article: List of muzzle-loading guns

Infantry guns

Main article: List of infantry guns

Self-propelled infantry guns

Main article: List of infantry guns § Self-propelled infantry guns

Infantry guns are designed to provide direct organic support for infantry forces. They fire a range of shells, primarily in a direct-fire mode. Most are lightweight and capable of being manhandled for limited mobility to accompany infantry.

Mountain artillery

Main article: List of mountain artillery

Mountain artillery, which includes pack howitzers, mountain howitzers and mountain guns, is designed to accompany mountain infantry forces. Usually lightweight and designed to be broken down to be portable by pack animals or even soldiers, they often are in limited calibers with low muzzle energy. Correspondingly, range and anti-armor capabilities are limited. However, they can deliver useful firepower in locations that may be inaccessible to heavier support forces.

Field guns

Main article: List of field guns

Self-propelled field guns

Main article: List of field guns § Self-propelled field guns

Field guns are one of two primary types of field artillery. Guns fire a heavy shell on a relatively level trajectory from a longer barrel, allowing for very high muzzle velocity and good range performance. Guns are most adequate for providing long range fire support and counter-battery fire.

Howitzers

Main article: List of howitzers

Self-propelled howitzers

Main article: List of howitzers § Self-propelled howitzers

Howitzers are one of two primary types of field artillery. Howitzers fire a heavy shell in a high trajectory from a relatively short barrel. Range is limited but howitzers are slightly more mobile than similarly sized field guns.

Wheeled self-propelled howitzer

Further information: List of wheeled self-propelled howitzer

It is a sub-category of self-propelled howitzers, where the artillery gun is mounted on a wheeled vehicle, usually a 8×8 or 10×10 APC, or 6×6, 8×8, 10×10 trucks.

Tracked self-propelled howitzer

Further information: List of tracked self-propelled howitzer

It is a sub-category of self-propelled howitzers, where the artillery gun is mounted on a tracked vehicle.

Siege artillery

Main article: List of siege artillery

Siege artillery are heavy guns and other bombardment devices designed to bombard fortifications, cities, and other fixed targets. They are capable of firing heavy shells but require enormous transport and logistical support to operate. They lack mobility and thus are rarely useful in more mobile warfare situations.

Rocket artillery

Main article: List of rocket artillery

See also: multiple rocket launcher, Katyusha rocket launcher, and ballistic missile

Coastal artillery

Main article: List of coastal artillery

See also

• List of artillery by country
• List of artillery by name
• List of World War II artillery
• List of naval guns
• List of weapons
• List of tank main guns
• List of Grenade Launchers
• List of recoilless rifles
• Glossary of British ordnance terms

References

• Chamberlain, Peter, and Hilary L. Doyle. Thomas L. Jentz (Technical Editor), Encyclopedia of German Tanks of World War Two: A Complete Illustrated Directory of German Battle Tanks, Armoured Cars, Self-propelled Guns, and Semi-tracked Vehicles, 1933–1945, London: Arms and Armour Press, 1978 (revised edition 2004).
• Margiotta, Franklin D., Brassey's Encyclopedia of Land Forces and Warfare, Brassey's, 1997
• Johnson, Samuel, A Dictionary of the English Language: In which the Words are Deduced from Their Originals, and Illustrated in Their Different Significations, by Examples from the Best Writers, to which are Prefixed a History of the Language, and an English Grammar, v. 1, A-D, Printed for Longman, Hurst, Rees, and Orme, 1805
• Zaloga, Steven J., James Grandsen (1984). Soviet Tanks and Combat Vehicles of World War Two, London: Arms and Armour Press. .