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Paraguay's Army To Field Brazilian M108 105mm Self-Propelled Howitzers For The First Time.
Paraguay’s Army is preparing to introduce 105 mm self-propelled artillery for the first time, following a planned donation of six M108 tracked howitzers from Brazil. The transfer reflects deepening defense cooperation and signals a structural change in how Paraguay delivers land-based fire support.
On 16 December 2025, Radio Nacional AM announced that Paraguay’s Army is preparing to introduce 105 mm self-propelled artillery for the first time in its history, following a planned donation from Brazil announced by Army Commander General Manuel Rodríguez. According to the statement broadcast on the Paraguayan public radio, Brazil intends to transfer six M108 tracked self-propelled howitzers, a move that would mark a significant shift in the structure of Paraguay’s land-based fire support. The planned transfer comes as Paraguay and Brazil continue to deepen defense cooperation, using the handover of surplus platforms to accelerate capability development while limiting direct acquisition costs.
Paraguay’s Army is preparing to introduce 105 mm self-propelled artillery for the first time through a planned Brazilian donation of six M108 tracked howitzers, marking a major shift in the country’s land-based fire support capabilities (Picture Source: Brazilian Army)
The M108 is a U.S.-designed, turreted 105 mm self-propelled howitzer developed in the early 1960s and built on the same tracked chassis family as the more widely fielded 155 mm M109. Conceived to provide mobile indirect fire support to maneuver formations, the system combines a fully traversable gun turret with armored mobility, allowing it to reposition rapidly after firing. In typical configurations, the platform operates with a five-person crew and carries a substantial onboard ammunition load for a 105 mm system, while a roof-mounted heavy machine gun provides close-in defense. With road speeds commonly cited at around 55–60 km/h and an operational range of roughly 350 km, the M108 was designed to keep pace with mechanized forces rather than operate as a static artillery piece. Its effective firing range, generally cited at around 11–12 km with standard high-explosive ammunition, places it below modern 155 mm systems but still within a useful envelope for responsive, tactical fire support.
Operationally, the M108 entered service during the Cold War and saw combat use during the Vietnam War era, before U.S. doctrine progressively shifted away from 105 mm self-propelled guns in favor of heavier 155 mm platforms. Brazil emerged as one of the system’s principal users after purchasing 72 M108s from U.S. Army stocks in the early 1970s. These vehicles remained in service for decades, supported by local modernization efforts carried out in the early 1980s, notably by Motopeças, which replaced the original American Detroit Diesel powerplant. Over time, however, the limitations of the 105 mm caliber and the age of the platform led Brazil to phase the type out of service. According to Brazilian sources, Brazilian M108s were decommissioned between 2017 and 2018 and replaced by 155 mm M109A5+ self-propelled howitzers.
The transfer of surplus M108s has already played a role in Brazil’s regional defense diplomacy. Uruguay previously received the same system from Brazil on a free basis, a move that allowed the Uruguayan Army to establish a new self-propelled artillery grouping and begin withdrawing obsolete 105 mm M101 towed howitzers from service. This precedent illustrates how even a limited number of tracked artillery systems can drive organizational and doctrinal change, shifting forces away from static gun lines toward more mobile and survivable fire-support concepts.
For Paraguay, the planned reception of six M108s would represent less a quantitative leap than a qualitative one. Introducing self-propelled artillery would alter how the Army generates and sustains indirect fire, enabling faster displacement, reduced vulnerability after firing, and closer integration with maneuver elements. At the same time, the donation also brings constraints typical of legacy platforms, including aging automotive components, finite barrel life, and a performance envelope tied to the 105 mm caliber. Training, spare parts management, ammunition stocks, and maintenance capacity will therefore be decisive factors in determining whether the systems become operational assets or remain limited in availability.
The planned transfer fits within Brazil’s broader policy of reinforcing military ties with partner countries through equipment donations, combining surplus management with capacity-building objectives. While the absence of a purchase price lowers the barrier to entry for Paraguay, associated costs linked to transport, refurbishment, training, and sustainment remain unavoidable. The M108 announcement also comes amid wider bilateral cooperation extending beyond the land domain. It has to be noted that Paraguay has also received A-29 Super Tucano light turboprop aircraft from Brazil for its Air Force, underscoring a multi-service dimension to the defense relationship rather than a single, isolated transfer.
Paraguay’s expected introduction of the M108 thus represents an initial step rather than a final outcome. It formally brings self-propelled artillery into Paraguayan service for the first time, but its operational impact will depend on how effectively the Army integrates the vehicles into its force structure, command-and-control processes, and training systems. As Uruguay’s experience suggests, transferred M108s can serve as a catalyst for broader force transformation, provided that legacy equipment is paired with coherent doctrine and sustainable support arrangements suited to contemporary operational demands.