Profile
- Type
- 105 mm towed field howitzer
- Conflict side
- Ukraine
- Origin
- United States; supplied to Ukraine from Lithuanian stocks
- Service note
- World War II-era design still used from allied stocks in the Russia-Ukraine War
Artillery
M101 105 mm Howitzer
The M101 is a U.S.-origin 105 mm towed field howitzer whose low weight, standard 105 mm ammunition, and simple split-trail carriage kept it useful long after World War II. In Ukraine, Lithuanian-donated M101A1 guns provide shorter-range tube artillery for infantry fire support where mobility, available ammunition, and survivable dispersed gun positions matter more than modern 155 mm range.
- Conflict side
- Ukraine
- Built by
- Rock Island Arsenal
- Built in
- United States
Service History
- In service
- Entered U.S. service around 1940-1941; supplied to Ukraine from Lithuanian stocks in 2022
- Used by
- Ukrainian Armed Forces, Lithuanian Armed Forces, United States Army
- Wars
- Russia-Ukraine War, World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War
Production History
- Designer
- U.S. Army Ordnance Department
- Designed
- Interwar development; M2A1 standardized before World War II
- Built by
- Rock Island Arsenal
- Built in
- United States
- Produced
- 1941-1950s
- Number built
- More than 10,000
- Variants
- M101, M101A1, M2A1
Specifications
- Caliber
- 105 mm
- Weight
- 2,260 kg
- Maximum range
- 11,270 m with standard ammunition; up to about 15.1 km with rocket-assisted ammunition
- Rate of fire
- Up to 10 rounds per minute; about 3 rounds per minute sustained
- Crew
- 8
- Carriage
- Single-axle split-trail towed carriage
Conflict Usage
- Russia-Ukraine War
- Side: Ukraine
Ukrainian forces received Lithuanian-supplied M101A1 105 mm towed howitzers in 2022 and were documented firing them against Russian forces later that year.
M101 105 mm Howitzer Images
Related Weapon Systems
L118 Light Gun105 mm towed light howitzerThe L118 Light Gun is a British 105 mm towed artillery system built for mobile field artillery, airborne movement, and rapid emplacement. In the Russia-Ukraine War, Ukraine's directly sourced combat context is tied to the L119 variant of the same light-gun family, supplied by the United Kingdom and supported by allied training and maintenance.
M119105 mm lightweight towed howitzerThe M119 is the U.S. 105 mm lightweight towed howitzer derived from the British L119 light gun and built around air-mobile infantry fire support. The M119A3 variant adds digital fire control, self-location, and communications upgrades while retaining a light carriage that can be moved by trucks, cargo aircraft, or helicopter. In the Russia-Ukraine War, Ukrainian forces received 105 mm howitzers and were documented training on American M119A3 guns to add a mobile, NATO-standard light artillery option alongside heavier 155 mm systems.
FH70155 mm towed howitzerThe FH70 is a jointly developed British-West German-Italian 155 mm L/39 towed howitzer with an auxiliary power unit for limited self-movement. In Ukrainian service it added another NATO-standard tube-artillery option alongside M777 and CAESAR systems, giving Ukrainian artillery units a 155 mm platform documented at the front from 2022.
MO-120 RT120 mm rifled towed heavy mortarThe MO-120 RT is a French 120 mm rifled towed heavy mortar developed by Brandt and later associated with TDA/Thales production. Its rifled barrel, two-wheel carriage, and rocket-assisted ammunition option give it longer range than many smoothbore infantry mortars, while remaining towable by light or medium vehicles. In the Russia-Ukraine War, Ukrainian forces received Belgian MO-120 RT mortars and used the type for front-line indirect fire support.
OTO Melara Mod 56105 mm towed pack howitzerThe OTO Melara Mod 56 is an Italian 105 mm pack howitzer built for light and mountain artillery, combining a low towing weight with a design that can be broken down into transportable loads. In the Russia-Ukraine War it appears as a Spanish-supplied light artillery system for Ukrainian forces, trading range and shell weight for mobility and compatibility with 105 mm artillery ammunition.
Zuzana 2155 mm wheeled self-propelled howitzerZuzana 2 is a Slovak 155 mm/52-caliber wheeled self-propelled howitzer built around an automated loading system and a Tatra 8x8 chassis. Its NATO-standard ammunition, long-range indirect-fire role, and documented deliveries to Ukraine make it part of the Western artillery support package used to strengthen Ukrainian tube artillery in the Russia-Ukraine War.Sources
M101/M101A1 105 mm HowitzerPublisher: Ultra Defense Corp | Note: Supports system background, ammunition, production history, and technical specifications. | Accessed: 2026-06-20M101 American 105mm Towed HowitzerPublisher: U.S. Army TRADOC ODIN | Note: Supports general identification and core specifications for the M101 105 mm towed howitzer. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Lithuania Sent Another Batch of Military Aid to UkrainePublisher: Defense Express | Note: Supports Lithuanian transfer of 105 mm howitzers to Ukraine during the Russia-Ukraine War. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Ukraine army uses old M101A1 105mm howitzers donated by Lithuania to shell Russian troopsPublisher: Army Recognition | Note: Supports direct Russia-Ukraine War use of Lithuanian-donated M101A1 howitzers by Ukrainian forces. | Accessed: 2026-06-20M101A1 Howitzer Display in ORDC Side View 20121013.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and licensing for the primary M101A1 howitzer image; file page lists CC BY-SA 3.0 and GFDL licensing options. | Accessed: 2026-06-20M101-105mm-howitzer-4.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and licensing for the secondary M101 gallery image; file page lists Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 licensing. | Accessed: 2026-06-20