Al-Fao
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Al-Fao is a self-propelled artillery system designed for the former Iraqi Army by the late Canadian weapons engineer, Gerald Bull. It is one of the world's most powerful artillery pieces, with a caliber of 210 mm and a range of 56,000 metres (35 miles).[1] The Al-Fao weighs 48 tons and is claimed to be able to fire four 109 kg (240 lb) rounds a minute, with a top speed of about 72 km/h (44 mph) attainable on the road. Its projectiles could be filled with chemical weapons such as sarin, mustard or phosgene gases as well as conventional high explosives.
The weapon is named after the Al-Faw peninsula in southern Iraq, which was the scene of heavy fighting during the Iran–Iraq War in the 1980s. (The difference in spelling is due to differing transliterations of the Arabic name.)
The gun was designed and built in Europe and was first displayed publicly in Baghdad in 1989. It did not appear to have entered into Iraqi service, however, and none were captured during the 1991 Gulf War; the programme was probably cancelled thereafter.[citation needed] It was similar in design to the South African G6 howitzer, with which Bull was also involved as a designer, and appears to have been directly inspired by that system.
See also
References
- ^ "Saddam's Supergun And Verne's Columbiad" www.technovelgy.com., 12 October 2006. Retrieved 29 October 2011