Leonardo has unveiled the Hystrix as the land-based variant of its Sovraponte 76 mm naval gun, reviving a previously abandoned idea with today’s capabilities.
Italy’s idea of a land-based 76 mm gun as a multi-purpose weapon has been revived with the Hystrix system, as reported by Ares Osservatorio Difesa. The system is essentially a towed version of the 76 mm Sovraponte compact naval gun, which can be integrated on ships without significant deck penetration thanks to in-turret ammunition storage.
This is not the first time Italy attempted to introduce a 76 mm naval gun for land-based use. OTOMATIC and Draco were proposed in the past as a multi-purpose solution which can engage both land and air targets thanks to the variety of ammunition types.
Hystrix, due to being based on Sovraponte, can fire conventional 76 mm ammunition types (HE, Multirole, Proximity, SAPOM/SAPOMER) and the newer guided rounds DART (Anti-Air) and VULCANO (Anti-Surface). Proximity ammunition can be regarded as a cheaper option against UAVs, while the more capable DART can engage cruise missiles or aircraft.
Another important detail is the Hystrix Lite variant, which will use a smaller turret for use on armoured vehicles with the recently shown VBM derivative to haul a 155 mm artillery module as the most probable option. While engaging land targets is not a priority for fixed Hystrix, the mobile platform is another story, as it can employ the guided VULCANO round for precise fire support at a distance up to 40 km.
Author: Kaan Azman
Editor:Özgür Ekşi
