Why armies are unlikely to return to eight-inch field guns

Will armies move from six-inch to eight-inch field artillery?

Probably not: the heavier weapon and ammunition reduce mobility and rate of fire, while rocket artillery can deliver effects in that weight class more efficiently.

Moving from six- to eight-inch tube artillery imposes a sharp penalty in gun weight, ammunition handling, and the number of rounds a mobile unit can carry. The larger effect is often better delivered by rockets, while improved six-inch ammunition preserves a more useful rate of fire and mobile load. An eight-inch tube therefore competes with multiple-launch rocket systems that can deliver heavy effects without hauling a comparably massive gun. The speakers note that larger naval guns may still have different advantages because shipboard support, mobility, and missions are not the same as field artillery's.