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Assault gun

An assault gun is a type of armored fighting vehicle developed primarily during World War II, characterized by a large-caliber gun mounted in a casemate superstructure rather than a rotating turret, designed to provide direct fire support to infantry units while offering protection and mobility on the battlefield.^[1] Originating from the need for mobile artillery to accompany advancing infantry— a concept rooted in World War I trench warfare experiences—the assault gun was formalized in Nazi Germany's Wehrmacht as part of the Sturmartillerie (assault artillery) branch.^[2] The idea was proposed by then-Captain Erich von Manstein in a 1935 memorandum, leading to the development of the first prototypes between 1936 and 1938, with initial combat deployment occurring during the invasion of France in May 1940.^[1] The most iconic example, the Sturmgeschütz III (StuG III), was built on the chassis of the Panzer III tank, featuring a low-profile design with strong frontal armor, high mobility, and initially a short-barreled 75 mm howitzer for close-support roles; production began in 1940 and exceeded 10,500 units by war's end, making it one of Germany's most produced armored vehicles.^[1]^[2] As the war progressed, particularly on the Eastern Front after encountering Soviet T-34 and KV-1 tanks in 1941, assault guns evolved from pure infantry support platforms into effective tank destroyers, with later variants like the StuG III Ausf. F equipped with long-barreled 75 mm anti-tank guns.^[1] By 1943, Germany fielded 39 Sturmartillerie battalions with over 1,000 assault guns on the Eastern Front alone, and production peaked in 1944 at 4,825 units amid resource shortages and competition with tank manufacturing.^[2] Other notable German models included the StuH 42 (Sturmhaubitze 42), an assault howitzer variant, and the heavier StuG IV, while Allied and Soviet forces developed similar vehicles like the Soviet SU-76M, though the concept remained most closely associated with German designs.^[1] Assault guns proved cost-effective—often cheaper and simpler to produce than full tanks—and claimed a significant share of enemy armor kills, with StuG crews credited for over 20,000 tank destructions by 1945, underscoring their tactical versatility despite lacking all-around vision and flexibility compared to turreted tanks.^[2]

Definition and Concept

Definition and Terminology

An assault gun is defined as a turretless, casemated self-propelled gun designed primarily for direct-fire infantry support, typically mounting a large-caliber gun of 75 mm or greater on a tank chassis to deliver high-explosive firepower against enemy positions.^[3]^[4] This configuration emphasizes close-range engagement in support of advancing troops, prioritizing armored protection and mobility over all-around firing capability.^[5] The term "assault gun" originates from the German "Sturmgeschütz," coined in the 1930s as part of the Wehrmacht's early doctrinal concepts for mobile infantry accompaniment, with lieutenant colonel Erich von Manstein proposing the idea of Sturmartillerie in 1935 to provide armored fire support without the complexity of a full tank.^[6] In the Soviet Union, equivalent vehicles were termed "Samokhodnaya Ustanovka," translating to "self-propelled mount" or "self-propelled installation," reflecting a broader categorization of tracked artillery platforms that evolved from general self-propelled artillery into specialized assault roles during World War II.^[7] Over time, the concept shifted from initial infantry support emphasis to include anti-tank duties, but the core terminology retained its focus on direct assault applications.^[8] A key design prerequisite for assault guns is the casemate superstructure, which integrates the main gun into a fixed, armored enclosure atop the hull rather than a rotating turret; this limits traverse to the vehicle's hull orientation, typically 10-20 degrees, but offers advantages in production simplicity, reduced height for better concealment, and thicker frontal armor allocation due to the absence of turret ring mechanisms.^[9] The casemate approach facilitated faster manufacturing and lower costs compared to turreted designs, enabling mass production for frontline use.^[5] Assault guns are distinguished from tanks, which feature fully traversing turrets for 360-degree engagement and serve multi-role purposes including reconnaissance and exploitation.^[3] Unlike tank destroyers, which prioritize long-range anti-armor engagements with high-velocity guns optimized for penetrating enemy tanks, assault guns focus on infantry support against softer targets like fortifications using high-explosive shells.^[5] They also differ from traditional self-propelled guns, which are oriented toward indirect fire in an artillery role over extended ranges, often with howitzers rather than direct-fire cannons.^[3]

Doctrinal Role

Assault guns were doctrinally conceived as close support weapons for infantry, providing direct fire to suppress enemy positions, break through fortifications, and neutralize strongpoints during assaults. In German tactics, this aligned with "Sturm" (storm) principles, where assault guns like the Sturmgeschütz advanced alongside infantry to deliver high-explosive shells against bunkers, machine-gun nests, and artillery, enabling breakthroughs without exposing troops to enfilading fire. Their low silhouette and mobility allowed them to accompany advancing units closely, crossing lines of departure simultaneously with infantry while relying on foot soldiers for flank protection.^[10] Soviet doctrine integrated assault guns into deep battle concepts, using self-propelled artillery units (SAU) such as the SU-76 and SU-122 to support initial infantry breaches with high-explosive fire against front-line defenses, facilitating exploitation by mobile groups in operations like Bagration.^[11] A key doctrinal advantage of assault guns lay in their cost-effectiveness as a mass-producible alternative to full tanks, requiring fewer resources for construction and maintenance while delivering comparable firepower for infantry support roles. This made them ideal for integration into standard infantry divisions during breakthrough operations, where they could be fielded in batteries or regiments to amplify offensive momentum without diverting scarce tank assets. In resource-constrained environments, such as late-war Germany, assault guns filled critical gaps in armored availability, allowing divisions to maintain combined-arms capabilities despite production shortages.^[12] The role of assault guns evolved from experimental concepts in the 1930s, initially envisioned as mobile infantry accompaniment in limited wars, to a standardized element of combined-arms warfare by World War II. Early German developments emphasized direct-fire support in offensive maneuvers, but wartime adaptations expanded their use to counterattacks and defenses, where their fixed casemates necessitated coordinated infantry maneuvers to compensate for limited traverse. Soviet implementations similarly progressed from ad hoc self-propelled guns to organized regiments by 1943, enhancing deep battle by synchronizing assault gun fire with echeloned advances to sustain operational tempo.^[12]^[11]

Design Characteristics

Armament and Firepower

Assault guns were typically equipped with large-caliber artillery pieces ranging from 75 mm to 152 mm, often short-barreled howitzers or guns optimized for lobbing high-explosive (HE) shells in direct fire to support infantry assaults against fortifications, bunkers, and troop concentrations. These weapons emphasized destructive power over precision or long-range indirect fire, with primary roles in shattering enemy positions at close to medium ranges. Secondary armament generally included one or two coaxial or roof-mounted machine guns for close-range anti-infantry and self-defense, such as the German 7.92 mm MG 34 or the Soviet 7.62 mm DT machine gun.^[13] Ammunition loadouts prioritized HE rounds for their infantry support mission, supplemented by armor-piercing (AP) or high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) projectiles for opportunistic engagements against armored targets. For instance, the German StuG III's initial 75 mm StuK 37 L/24 gun fired the 5.74 kg Sprgr.34 HE shell at a muzzle velocity of 420 m/s, achieving effective direct-fire ranges of up to 3 km against soft and lightly armored targets. In contrast, the Soviet SU-152 mounted a 152 mm ML-20S howitzer that propelled 43.56 kg OF-530 HE shells at 523–655 m/s, delivering devastating blasts with direct-fire effectiveness out to 6 km, where the shell's explosive filler could demolish concrete structures or clustered infantry. AP variants, like the SU-152's 48.8 kg Br-471 round, offered secondary anti-tank capability but were less emphasized due to the weapon's howitzer design.^[13]^[14] Fire control systems on assault guns were rudimentary, relying on simple telescopic sights calibrated for direct-fire engagements rather than complex rangefinders or stabilizers found in later tanks. The StuG III, for example, used the ZF1 optical sight with a reticle scaled for ranges up to 1,500 m on primary markings (and 6,000 m indirectly), allowing crews to quickly acquire targets in infantry support scenarios. The casemate-mounted guns lacked full 360-degree turrets, restricting traverse to narrow arcs of 10–24 degrees (typically 12 degrees left and right), which necessitated vehicle repositioning but simplified production and enabled heavier calibers—such as the 152 mm on the SU-152—without the mechanical complexity and weight penalties of rotating turrets on equivalent tank designs.^[13]

Protection and Mobility

Assault guns featured casemate-style armor configurations that emphasized sloped frontal protection to deflect incoming fire while supporting infantry advances, typically ranging from 45 to 80 mm in thickness on the superstructure and hull glacis.^[13]^[15] This sloped design, often inclined at 30° to 80° depending on the vehicle, increased effective armor thickness against kinetic penetrators without adding excessive weight. Sides and rear armor were notably thinner, usually 30 mm or less, reflecting the doctrine of close infantry cooperation where flanking threats were mitigated by accompanying troops rather than the vehicle itself.^[13]^[15] Crew compartments in assault guns were fully enclosed within the casemate for protection, accommodating 3 to 5 personnel in a layout optimized for direct fire support rather than all-around observation. A typical arrangement included a driver at the front, with a commander, gunner, and loader positioned behind in the fighting compartment; Soviet designs like the SU-85 had a crew of 4.^[15] Visibility was restricted to periscopes and limited vision slits, prioritizing armor integrity over panoramic views and making the vehicles reliant on external spotting for threats outside the frontal arc.^[13] Mobility was derived from proven medium tank chassis, such as the Panzer III for German StuG III variants or the T-34 for Soviet SU-85, enabling speeds of 30 to 55 km/h on roads and 15 to 20 km/h cross-country while maintaining operational ranges of 150 to 310 km.^[13]^[16] These tracked designs were lighter than many turreted tanks of comparable armament—ranging from 11 to 46 tons—facilitating simpler production and better maneuverability in infantry support roles without the added complexity of rotating turrets.^[13]^[15] Despite these strengths, assault guns exhibited key vulnerabilities that limited tactical flexibility, including exposed engine decks at the rear susceptible to top-down attacks from artillery or aircraft, and poor reverse speeds—typically limited to 3 to 5 km/h due to single-gear transmissions—hindering rapid withdrawal from ambushes.^[13]^[16] The fixed casemate also restricted firing to a narrow frontal sector, exposing the vehicle to side or rear assaults if infantry screens failed.^[15]

Historical Development

World War II Origins and Use

The assault gun concept emerged in the 1930s, primarily pioneered by Germany as a casemated infantry support vehicle to provide mobile firepower without the resource demands of full tanks. The Sturmgeschütz III (StuG III), developed in response to a 1936 German Army requirement for armored support guns, saw its first prototype completed in 1937 on a Panzer III chassis, initially armed with a 75 mm low-velocity gun for direct fire against fortifications and enemy positions.^[4] The Soviet Union also explored early self-propelled artillery designs during this period, influenced by experiences in the Spanish Civil War and the Winter War, though full-scale assault gun development accelerated in the early 1940s with vehicles like the SU-122 and SU-152 based on heavy tank chassis.^[17] The German invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941, known as Operation Barbarossa, dramatically intensified the need for assault guns on both sides, leading to a surge in production to support the vast Eastern Front. German forces employed StuG III units in breakthrough operations, where their low silhouette and rapid fire proved effective in suppressing anti-tank defenses; by 1943, production exceeded 2,500 units annually, enabling widespread deployment.^[18] Soviet counteroffensives similarly relied on assault guns for heavy firepower, with the SU-152 heavy self-propelled gun debuting at the Battle of Kursk in July 1943 and quickly earning the nickname "Beast Killer" (Zveroboy) for its 152 mm howitzer's ability to destroy German Tigers and Panthers with single shots, despite its primary role as an infantry support weapon.^[19] Overall, World War II saw the production of approximately 30,000 assault guns across major combatants, underscoring their doctrinal shift from specialized support to versatile battlefield assets amid escalating armored warfare. In urban combat, such as the Battle of Berlin in April-May 1945, German StuG IIIs and Soviet ISU-152s were instrumental in street fighting, navigating rubble to engage enemy armor and strongpoints at close range.^[20] Tactically, assault guns achieved high kill ratios—StuG III crews alone claimed over 20,000 enemy tank destructions—particularly in defensive ambushes, evolving from close-support roles to improvised tank destroyers as tank shortages forced adaptations in late-war operations.^[4]

Post-World War II Developments

Following World War II, the production of dedicated assault guns was severely limited, reflecting a broader shift away from specialized designs. The Soviet Union developed the SU-122-54, a casemate-mounted 122mm self-propelled gun based on the T-54 tank chassis, with prototypes tested in 1953 and adoption in March 1954; production occurred from 1955 to 1957, yielding 77 units before cancellation under Nikita Khrushchev's emphasis on missile systems over heavy guns.^[21] The Soviet Union also produced the ASU-57, a light 57 mm airborne assault gun on a modified PT-76 amphibious tank chassis, with approximately 310 units built from 1957 to 1962 for paratrooper direct fire support roles.^[22] Surplus World War II-era models continued limited service in subsequent conflicts, including the North Korean use of 132 Soviet SU-76 light assault guns during the Korean War from 1950 to 1953, primarily in early offensives for infantry support and anti-tank roles.^[23] Similarly, in the 1967 Six-Day War, Syrian forces deployed around 24 German StuG III assault guns, positioned in static defenses on the Golan Heights, where most were destroyed or captured by Israeli forces.^[24] The decline of assault guns stemmed from doctrinal and technological evolutions that rendered their specialized, turretless design obsolete. Western armies, including the United States and United Kingdom, prioritized versatile main battle tanks like the Soviet T-54 (introduced in 1947) and the American M48 Patton (entered service in 1952), which integrated infantry support firepower, anti-tank capability, and enhanced mobility with fully traversable turrets in a single platform, eliminating the need for cheaper but less flexible casemate vehicles.^[25] The Soviet Union persisted longer with assault gun concepts for airborne and naval infantry but ultimately transitioned as well, with improved infantry fighting vehicles such as the BMP-1 (fielded in 1966) assuming direct fire support roles through its 73mm gun and anti-tank missiles while transporting troops, thus combining assault gun functions with mechanized infantry transport.^[26] By the late 1950s, the reduced emphasis on massed tank threats and the standardization of tank designs further marginalized assault guns, which had originated as wartime expedients for rapid production.^[25] Efforts to revive assault gun concepts in the Cold War's later stages focused on lighter, more deployable variants, often for airborne or rapid-reaction forces. The United States pursued the wheeled Stryker Mobile Gun System (MGS), an eight-wheeled 105mm-armed vehicle developed from 2002 to provide mobile direct fire support to Stryker brigades; 142 units were produced and fielded by 2012, but the program was divested by the end of 2022 due to obsolescence, limited utility against modern threats, and high maintenance costs.^[27] Russia developed the 2S25 Sprut-SD in the 1990s as a light 125mm self-propelled gun on the BMD-3 airborne chassis, intended for paratrooper anti-tank and assault roles; around 40 units entered service by 2006, with ongoing upgrades for amphibious and airdrop operations.^[28] These systems represented niche adaptations rather than widespread adoption, underscoring the assault gun's marginalization, with post-1945 global production of dedicated models totaling several hundred units across major powers. The legacy of assault guns endures in the evolution of self-propelled artillery, where casemate designs influenced protected, mobile howitzer platforms like the Soviet 2S19 Msta-S and American M109 series, emphasizing firepower delivery over direct assault.^[25]

Assault Guns by Nation

Germany

The German assault gun concept originated in the interwar period as a doctrinal response to the need for mobile infantry support artillery, with development beginning in 1936 under the direction of the Heeres Waffenamt. The initial prototype, designated Sturmgeschütz III (StuG III), was based on the Panzer III chassis and intended to provide close fire support with a low-velocity howitzer, entering limited production in 1937 before full-scale manufacturing commenced in 1940 at the Alkett factory in Berlin. By 1943, MIAG in Hanover had joined production efforts, scaling output to meet wartime demands. Early models emphasized simplicity and cost-efficiency, lacking a turret to reduce complexity and weight. The StuG III evolved significantly from its artillery support role to a versatile tank destroyer as battlefield experiences, particularly after 1941 encounters with Soviet armor, highlighted the limitations of its original 75 mm StuK 37 L/24 gun. Later variants, such as the Ausf. F (introduced in 1942) and Ausf. G (from late 1942), incorporated the high-velocity 75 mm StuK 40 L/43 or L/48 guns for enhanced anti-tank capability, with improved frontal armor up to 80 mm. Approximately 10,500 StuG III vehicles across Ausf. A through G were produced between 1940 and 1945, operated by a crew of four (commander, gunner, loader, and driver), and costing around 82,500 Reichsmarks—about 20% less than the comparable Panzer IV due to the casemate design and simplified assembly.^[29]^[13] To alleviate production bottlenecks on the Panzer III chassis amid competing demands for medium tanks, the StuG IV was developed in late 1942 and entered service in December 1943. Built on the more readily available Panzer IV chassis with the StuG III superstructure and 75 mm StuK 40 L/48 gun, it mirrored the capabilities of its predecessor but offered greater reliability in late-war conditions. Krupp-Grusonwerk produced roughly 1,100 units until April 1945, serving primarily in defensive operations on both Eastern and Western fronts.^[30] As resources dwindled in 1944, Germany pursued lighter, more economical designs, leading to the Jagdpanzer 38(t) (commonly called Hetzer). Ordered in December 1943 and entering production in April 1944 at Böhmic-März Mittler (BMM) and Škoda factories in occupied Czechoslovakia, this vehicle used a modified Panzer 38(t chassis with sloped casemate armor and the 75 mm PaK 39 L/48 gun, blending assault gun traits with dedicated tank-hunting ambush tactics. Around 2,827 combat-ready Hetzers were built by May 1945, prioritizing low silhouette and rapid output over heavy protection.^[31] Operationally, German assault guns transitioned from offensive infantry accompaniment in 1939–1941 to widespread anti-tank employment by 1943, with StuG batteries often detached to panzer divisions or forming independent battalions. The long-barrel variants excelled in hull-down positions, contributing to defensive successes like those at Kursk. StuG units inflicted substantial enemy armored losses, accounting for approximately 18% of all tank kills achieved by German armored forces throughout the war, underscoring their doctrinal shift and production efficiency.^[32]

Soviet Union

The Soviet Union developed and produced assault guns extensively during World War II as part of its armored forces, prioritizing mass output to support infantry assaults and counter enemy armor through heavy high-explosive firepower. These vehicles were casemate designs mounted on existing tank chassis, reflecting the Red Army's emphasis on rapid industrialization and integration with deep battle doctrine, where self-propelled artillery provided mobile fire support for breakthroughs. Production emphasized quantity over individual sophistication, with over 20,000 units across major models built between 1942 and 1945 at key facilities like the Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant (ChTZ) for heavy variants and GAZ factories for lighter ones.^[33]^[34] Key models included the SU-76, a light assault gun introduced in 1942 on a modified T-70 chassis, armed with a 76 mm ZiS-3 gun for close infantry support; approximately 14,000 were produced until 1945, making it the most numerous Soviet self-propelled gun. The SU-122, developed in 1942 on the T-34 medium tank chassis and equipped with a 122 mm M-30 howitzer, served as medium assault artillery but saw limited output of about 1,150 units from 1942 to 1943 due to production shifts toward tank destroyers. Heavier designs like the SU-152, based on the KV-1 heavy tank chassis and mounting a 152 mm ML-20S howitzer, earned the nickname "Beast Killer" for its devastating anti-tank capability despite its primary role in direct fire support; around 700 were built from 1943 to 1944. This was followed by the ISU-152 on the IS heavy tank chassis, which improved mobility and protection while retaining the 152 mm gun, with production reaching approximately 2,550 units combined (SU-152 and ISU-152) from 1943 to 1945 at ChTZ.^[35] The ISU-122, introduced in 1944 on the IS chassis with a 122 mm A-19 gun, focused on anti-tank roles and totaled about 2,400 units by 1945. Crews for these vehicles typically numbered 4 to 5, optimizing for the confined casemate layout.^[36]^[19]^[37] Development of these assault guns stemmed from the need to mechanize artillery support following early war losses, utilizing proven T-34, KV, and IS chassis to accelerate output at factories such as ChTZ in Chelyabinsk and Factory No. 9 in Sverdlovsk for gun components. The emphasis on heavy high-explosive shells from 122 mm and 152 mm weapons allowed these vehicles to demolish fortifications and infantry concentrations effectively, distinguishing Soviet designs from lighter foreign counterparts.^[33]^[34] Operationally, Soviet assault guns played a massive role in major offensives, such as Operation Bagration in 1944, where SU-152 and ISU-152 units supported armored breakthroughs across Belarus, contributing to the destruction of German Army Group Center. Post-World War II, the SU-100 emerged as an anti-tank variant on the T-34 chassis with a 100 mm D-10 gun, produced from 1944 into the 1950s with around 4,500 units, extending the assault gun concept into the early Cold War era while many WWII models remained in reserve.^[38]^[39]^[40]

United States

The development of assault guns in the United States during World War II focused on multipurpose self-propelled artillery vehicles adapted from existing tank chassis to provide mobile fire support for infantry and armored units, with limited emphasis on dedicated assault roles. Influenced by British Lend-Lease requirements for mobile artillery, the U.S. Army initiated the M7 Priest project in September 1941 under Major General Jacob L. Devers, leading to prototypes built on M3 medium tank chassis by Baldwin Locomotive Works and standardization in April 1942.^[41] Production occurred at facilities including Rock Island Arsenal, resulting in 3,490 M7 units from 1942 to 1945, armed with a 105 mm M2A1 howitzer in an open-top superstructure mounted on M3 or later M4 medium tank chassis.^[41] An additional 826 M7B1 variants were built from March 1944 to February 1945 using the M4A3 chassis with a Ford GAA engine.^[41] The M7's open-top design facilitated superior observation for direct fire missions, while accommodating a crew of seven—consisting of a driver, chief of section, gunner, and four cannoneers—along with provisions for a .50 caliber M2 machine gun for antiaircraft defense.^[41] Complementing the M7, the M8 Howitzer Motor Carriage "Scott" entered production in September 1942 at General Motors facilities, with 1,778 units completed by January 1944 on an M5 light tank chassis equipped with twin Cadillac V-8 engines and vertical volute spring suspension.^[42] It featured a fully rotating turret mounting a 75 mm M3 howitzer with 46 rounds, enabling flexible direct and indirect support for reconnaissance elements.^[42] A related 1942 prototype, the T30 Howitzer Motor Carriage, mounted a 75 mm M1A1 howitzer in a simple box mount on an M3 half-track chassis but was canceled after trials in favor of the more capable turreted M8.^[43] Operationally, these vehicles saw extensive use in direct fire assault roles, with the M7 providing close support during the Italian campaign from 1943 and in Normandy following the June 1944 landings, including actions at Carentan where it delivered flanking and overhead fire from elevated positions.^[41] Of the M7s produced, 832 were Lend-Leased to British forces for use at El Alamein in 1942, and 283 went to Free French units, highlighting their multipurpose adaptability beyond purely U.S. needs.^[41] Postwar, the U.S. continued development with the M44 self-propelled howitzer in the early 1950s, producing 250 units standardized from the T99E1 pilot on an M41 Walker Bulldog chassis with a Continental AOS-895-3 engine, armed with a 155 mm M1A2 howitzer in an enclosed cab for enhanced protection.^[44] The M44, introduced in 1954, emphasized medium artillery mobility but retained assault potential through its torsion bar suspension and 35 mph top speed, serving until the early 1960s.^[44]

Other Nations

In smaller nations allied with or influenced by the Axis powers during World War II, assault gun development was typically limited to small-scale efforts aimed at bolstering infantry support and anti-tank capabilities, often adapting existing tank chassis under resource constraints. Hungary produced the 43M Zrínyi II assault gun from 1942 to 1945, mounting a 105 mm 40M howitzer in a casemate superstructure on the chassis of the Turán medium tank; over 40 units were built, with production ramping up in 1944 despite Allied bombing disruptions. These vehicles provided close fire support to Hungarian forces on the Eastern Front and played a role in the defense of Budapest in early 1945, where they engaged Soviet armor before many were lost or captured during the siege. A related prototype, the 44M Zrínyi I, was developed in 1943-1944 as an anti-tank variant armed with a long-barreled 75 mm gun on the same Turán chassis, but only one was completed due to prioritization of the howitzer-armed model and wartime shortages; it never entered production or combat.^[45]^[46] Sweden, maintaining neutrality, pursued independent assault gun development to enhance defensive firepower. The Sav m/43 (Stormartillerivagn m/43) was designed from 1941 to 1944 on the chassis of the Strv m/41 light tank—a licensed derivative of the Czechoslovak Pz. 38(t)—and equipped with a 105 mm lvkan m/40 howitzer for infantry support; 36 vehicles were produced between 1944 and 1947 by Scania-Vabis, with the first 18 initially fitted with a 75 mm m/02 gun before upgrading. These assault guns entered service in 1945 and remained operational until 1973, primarily for training and territorial defense in Sweden's forested terrain, reflecting the nation's focus on self-reliant, mobile artillery without foreign entanglements.^[47] Other Axis-aligned nations experimented with similar casemated designs, though output was constrained and combat deployment brief. Italy fielded the Semovente da 75/18 series from 1940 to 1943, a self-propelled howitzer with an Obice da 75/18 gun on M13/40 and M14/41 tank chassis; approximately 200 were built (60 on the earlier M40 variant and 162 on the M41), seeing action in North Africa, the Balkans, and Italy for direct fire support and occasional anti-tank roles until depleted by 1943-1944. Japan developed the Type 2 Ho-I in 1942 as an infantry support vehicle, installing a 75 mm Type 90 field gun in the turret of a modified Type 97 Chi-Ha medium tank chassis; limited to around 30 units by late 1944 due to material shortages and factory bombings, it remained in reserve and saw no frontline use. The United Kingdom conducted limited experiments with assault variants of the A22 Churchill infantry tank, such as the AVRE (Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers) equipped with a 290 mm petard demolition mortar for breaching fortifications, produced from 1943 onward in small numbers for specialized engineer support during invasions like Normandy, though these diverged from traditional assault gun concepts focused on sustained artillery fire.^[48]^[49] These efforts shared common traits, including heavy reliance on Axis technical influences for chassis and armament, and production scales under 100 units per type, prioritizing rapid adaptation over mass manufacture amid escalating wartime pressures.

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[25]
Wrong Technology for the Wrong Tactics: The Infantry Fighting Vehicle
The BMP-2 and BMP-3 replaced the BMP-1. ... The IFV is essentially attempting to fulfil the role that was previously given to infantry tanks and assault guns in ...
[26]
US Army scraps Stryker mobile gun systems in favor of new lethality ...
May 12, 2021 · The MGS version of the Stryker has a 105mm tank gun. The systems date back to the early 2000s and have provided direct supporting fires to ...
[27]
2S25 Sprut-SD Self-Propelled Anti-tank Gun - GlobalSecurity.org
Aug 30, 2024 · The 125 mm 2S25 Sprut-SD self-propelled anti-tank gun (tracked) had been series produced since 2007. According to open sources, more than 30 ...
[28]
The Best StuG - Tank Archives
Aug 8, 2020 · The Panzerjager IV from May to September of 1944. Production of the Panzerjager IV reached planned levels only in the summer of 1944. Cessation ...
[29]
Sturmgeschütz IV für 7.5 cm Sturmkanone 40 (Sd.Kfz.167)
Apr 14, 2021 · The main armament of the StuG IV was the 7.5 cm StuK (Sturmkanone – assault cannon) 40 L/48. This gun was developed by Rheinmetall-Borsig ...
[30]
Jagdpanzer 38 (Hetzer) - Tank Encyclopedia
Feb 20, 2021 · It was armed with a powerful high velocity 75 mm Pak 39 L/48 gun that could knock-out most enemy tanks. It was cheaper and quicker to build than ...
[31]
WW2 Armor
Our replica Sturmgeschütz III (assault gun, aka StuG III) Ausführung (Ausf.) ... Armament. 75mm main gun. 1 x 8mm Maschinengewehr (MG) 34 or MG 42 (some late ...
[32]
[PDF] THE TANK AND ASSAULT GUN INDUSTRY OF THE USSR - CIA
An assault gun may be defined as an armored tracked nonturreted vehicle used for direct-fire artillery support in the combat area. A tank is designed to close ...
[33]
ChTZ Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant / Uraltrac / Tankograd
Apr 10, 2019 · During the war in Chelyabinsk, thirteen models of tanks and self-propelled artillery systems were produced. A total of 18,000 combat vehicles, ...Missing: 9 | Show results with:9
[34]
SU-76 Self-Propelled Gun | World War II Database
After World War II, many SU-76s were supplied to China and North Korea, numbers seeing service with the Communist forces during the Korean War. ww2dbaseSources:
[35]
ISU-122 & ISU-122S - Tank Encyclopedia
May 5, 2016 · The ISU-122 was a heavy self propelled gun, and de facto tank destroyer. The vehicle came to be because the Soviets were able to produce ISU-152 hulls faster.
[36]
BAGRATION: Stalin's Promised Offensive - Key Military
Jun 8, 2024 · Mounting a 152mm gun on an IS chassis, the vehicle was planned to replace the SU-152, which was similar but used the chassis of the KV-1S. Both ...
[37]
SU-100 Tank Destroyer - World War II Database
By Jul 1945, 2,335 SU-100 tank destroyers were built. In the Soviet Union, production continued until 1947 after 2,335 examples were built. Soviet military ...
[38]
SU-100 | Weaponsystems.net
Number produced. 4.976. Designations. SU-100 / Samokhodnaya Ustanovka 100 ... SU-100 in Soviet military on the Red Square in 1945. Source: www.mil.ry.
[39]
The 105mm Howitzer Motor Carriage M7
The M7 series of 105mm Howitzer Motor Carriage was introduced in 1942 to provide close fire support to leading elements of American armored forces. · The ...
[40]
75 mm Howitzer Motor Carriage M8 Scott - Tank Encyclopedia
Jun 14, 2025 · The M8 HMC was equipped with two side-by-side mounted Cadillac V8 liquid-cooled gasoline engines. The power generated by these engines was ...
[41]
75 mm Howitzer Motor Carriage T30 - Tank Encyclopedia
Mar 15, 2025 · The main purpose of the M3 Half-Track was to transport troops into battle and then leave. However, it would be used to carry various types of ...
[42]
M44 SPH 155mm Self-Propelled Howitzer - Military Factory
The M44 Self-Propelled Howitzer was adopted by the US Army to replace the outmoded stock of M41 Howitzer Motor Carriages.Missing: postwar | Show results with:postwar
[43]
40/43M Zrínyi II - Tank Encyclopedia
Sep 21, 2024 · The 40/43M Zrínyi II assault gun was the Hungarian attempt to create their own version of the German StuG III.
[44]
44M Zrínyi I - Tank Encyclopedia
Nov 9, 2024 · The Zrínyi I was a Hungarian tank destroyer from World War II which began development in 1943. Ultimately only one prototype would be built.
[45]
Stormartillerivagn m/43 - Tank Encyclopedia
Sep 9, 2016 · The Swedish Bofors 75 mm (2.95 in) m/02 gun was fitted to the first 18 Sav m/43 self-propelled artillery guns to come off the production line ...
[46]
Semovente M40 da 75/18 - Tank Encyclopedia
Jan 25, 2023 · Self-Propelled Howitzer – 61 Built (1 Prototype + 60 Production). The Semovente M40 da 75/18 was the first Italian self-propelled howitzer, ...
[47]
Type 2 Ho-I (1942) 75-mm self-propelled gun - GlobalSecurity.org
Jun 14, 2019 · The production of the tank was hampered by the lack of material, as well as the bombing of Japanese factories. All thirty tanks were produced by ...