Encyclopedia of the Persian Gulf War

Page 113

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G5 155mm Gun Howitzer–Gulf War Syndrome

G5 155mm Gun Howitzer

This weapon was used by Iraq during the Persian Gulf War, although its exact numbers and technique of application remain unknown.

The informative journal Jane’s Armour and Artillery relates, “The G5 155mm gun howitzer has seen combat with the South African Army in Southern Angola and South West Africa [now Namibia] and by the Iraqi Army during its war with Iran. Quantities of these weapons were captured by Allied coalition forces during Operation Desert Storm, the liberation of Kuwait.” Carried on a large chassis with four massive tires, the gun as a whole weighs 30,313 pounds (13,750 kg), has a maximum firing range of 98,400 feet (30,000 m), and is operated by a crew of five.

References:

Foss, Christopher F., ed., Jane’s Armour and Artillery, 1992–93 (Coulsdon, Surrey, UK: Jane’s Information Group, 1992), 662–663.

GBU-10 GP Bomb Series

This 2,000-pound (908 kg) general-purpose bomb is a redesignated MK-84 mated with a laser guidance kit. According to the military, “the kits consist of a computer-control group (CCG), guidance canards attached to the front of the warhead to provide steering commands, and a wing assembly attached to the aft end to provide lift.” The bomb is essentially fire-and-forget—it is controlled strictly by an internal guidance system that tracks laser traces and follows them, utilizing a laser reference that is flashed on the