The idea of ​​creating assault self-propelled guns in Germany belonged to Major-General E. Manstein. In 1935 he published a report on the interaction of infantry, tanks and artillery on the battlefield. Beginning in June 1942, a 75-mm cannon with a long barrel of 48 calibers went into production and received the designation Stuk 40 L / 48.

From its predecessor Stuk L / 43, the new gun differed only in its long trunk (it was longer by almost 40 cm), and also with a number of knots and parts facilitating the production of the system and its maintenance in combat. The body of the Stug 40 assault gun was welded from armor plates 11.17.30 and 50 mm thick (on Aust. G machines – 80 mm).

In the upper front sheet of the hull there were two hatchways for access to the transmission, on the roof of the engine compartment there were four hatchways for servicing the power unit, and in the bottom there were hatches for draining gasoline, water and oil, and also for access to the engine and transmission. Since May 1943 assault guns have been equipped with shield shields shields. The first self-propelled guns with the L / 48 gun went into service with the 190th Division of Assault Guns, which fought in the Crimea.

The division took part in the storming of Sevastopol in June 1942, during which it suffered heavy losses. In general, the Stug 40 was a fairly successful self-propelled gun due to its small size, the presence of good surveillance devices and powerful weapons. The machine was relatively inexpensive in production and had sufficient technical reliability.