[Mobhack]

Abbots were available ~10 years before the 105 light gun - otherwise you would be stuck with the 105 pack howitzer 65-75. The pack has less range, so would be counter-batteried easily and unable to reach most opponents if firing C/B itself.

Why the light gun took so long when it was already available on the Abbot - probably finances?. Also - the Italian OTO 105 pack howitzer was a NATO standardisation, lots of folk bought them because of that agreement - and then spent their time modifying them to suit, welding them up (and so losing the pack ability) since they fell apart if towed too much behind vehicles or too fast, adding muzzle brakes since they were fired on max charge more than designed (so as to achieve any useful range) before binning them and replacing with proper artillery pieces.