Model 56 pack howitzer

The OTO Melara Mod 56 is a 105 mm pack howitzer designed for mountain and airborne troops. It is lightweight and air-portable, capable of being broken down into 12 parts for transport.

Developed in the 1950s by OTO Melara to equip the Italian Army's elite Alpini mountain brigades, this artillery piece officially entered service in 1957. It quickly became a major export success, seeing extensive combat with the British Army during the Aden Emergency and Borneo Confrontation, as well as with Argentine forces during the 1982 Falklands War. Although largely phased out by front-line Western militaries in favor of heavier or more modern systems, it remains in active service with over a dozen nations globally. Its enduring legacy is that of one of the most versatile and widely utilized light artillery pieces of the Cold War era.