152mm 20 M-1937 (ML-20)

The 152 mm howitzer-gun M1937 (ML-20) was a Soviet heavy artillery piece widely used during World War II and beyond. It was designed to function as both a howitzer for indirect fire and a gun for direct fire, offering significant versatility on the battlefield.

Developed by F. F. Petrov at Plant No. 172, the ML-20 was created to replace the aging World War I-era M1910/34 siege gun by offering superior range, mobility, and a modernized carriage. It officially entered Red Army service in 1937, quickly becoming the backbone of Soviet corps-level artillery. The weapon saw extensive combat during the Winter War and World War II, proving highly effective against German fortifications at Kursk and Berlin, and was also adapted as the main armament for the formidable ISU-152 self-propelled gun. Post-WWII, the ML-20 was exported widely, seeing action in the Korean War and various Arab-Israeli conflicts, and it remains in reserve or ceremonial service in several countries today.