"The Self-propelled howitzer M109A7 and M992A3 " Topic

"The United States Army's capability to project land power grew this week with the induction of the M109A7 155mm self-propelled howitzer and its companion M992A3 carrier ammunition tracked vehicle into low-rate initial production. The M109A7 and M992A3, formerly known as the Army's Paladin Integrated Management, known as PIM, program, were both inducted during a ceremony at Anniston Army Depot where Congressman Mike Rogers, Alabama's third congressional district representative, described what the systems bring to the Army.

"If we have to fight, we want to make sure it's not a fair fight. These systems ensure that it won't be a fair fight," Rogers said.

This summer M109A6 Paladin vehicles and M992A2 Field Artillery Ammunition Support Vehicles will be shipped to Anniston Army Depot where they will be disassembled to provide cab structures, overhauled gun and cannon assemblies, and other vehicle components to industry. The entirely new chassis, built at BAE Systems' facility in York, Pa., will marry with the reworked Anniston components at the new BAE Systems production facility in Eglin, Okla., for final assembly…"

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Great beasts!

Amicalement
Armand

Very nice.

Always liked those … we had 24 of them in the Bde …

Can't imagin their power in action!.

Amicalement
Armand

If those are using the old Crusader SPA systems, you need 3 ammo carriers per gun tube!

It's going to suck to be on the receiving end of that much steel rain, but as Patton said, "I'm not here to die for my country, I'm here to make the other son-of-a-bitch die for his!"

"a new 600-volt on-board power system,"

That has got to be a miss "quote" and they had to mean "600 Amp power system". There is no systems on anything that uses more then 220/240 volts (that I have ever seen or read about) and they are used in buildings and ships not vehicles. 600 volts would just fry a power system and jump arks all over the place.

I thought with guided rounds, you needed a lot less rounds per gun. Which means the tube will be in service longer.

Also noticed we have the infamous spread the work out over 3 states to get more of congress involved. Disassembled in Alabama. New parts made in Penn. and all reassembled in Oklahoma.

Can't imagin their power in action!.

They were in 8 Gun Batteries, back then … Lots of firepower … If all 3 Batteries fired on the same target …

Doug if you are killing tanks, where each round does guide in, sure lots fewer rounds. But smoke screens require just as many rounds as always. Infantry is still going to need HE or ICM. And softskins are not going to get guided rounds, those are to few to waste, so they get good old HE.

So some round reduction, but not as much as you would like. And, with Crusader at least, they where going to do it with fewer total tubes, so you end up actualy shooting more rounds per tube make up for it. Bean counters always get you in the end.

Owen

legion my old battalion commander used to say we are in the bussiness of killing freaking targets, not scaring freaking targets. If it is not worth a battalion 3 rounds, let the tankers handle it.

We swapped Projos with a Division artillery group, which i believe was 3 battalions of 1222mm and one battalion of 152mm guns. Not sure how many tubes pewr battalion, but certainly more in total than we had. Firefinder radar and Battalion Tacfire showed that in Artillery superior fire control can definatly triump superior fire power.

owen

A 600volt power system could be for traction motors (most automotive hybrids run on 480VDC), or it could be for a radar system. It's also probably for the gun and turret motors!

What tanks will do against them?
Scape at full speed I guess?

I wouldn't like to be in a thench waiting their power fire!

Amicalement
Armand

Hell, imagine it in the direct-fire role if required. I have it on good authority that a 155 round will wreck any MBT including an M1.

Which is good, because I'd like to join the ARNG after college, and the area I'd be working in has HBCTs and/or divisional arty with Paladins.

legion my old battalion commander used to say we are in the bussiness of killing freaking targets, not scaring freaking targets. If it is not worth a battalion 3 rounds, let the tankers handle it.

LOL ! One of the most powerful weapons at my disposal was the PRC-77 radio to call-in FA … or better yet let my FIST Tm do it …

What tanks will do against them?
Scape at full speed I guess?

Well, if the tank sees the Paladin battery, the arty is in a world of trouble. It looks like a tank, but sure doesn't have the armor like a tank.

If the arty has a spotter looking at the tanks, the tankers had better pray there aren't any Copperhead laser-guided shells or Excalibur GPS-guided shells in the magazine (or DPICM or SADARM).

Otherwise, the 100lb shell from a 155mm gun will do horrible things *if* it hits a tank. If it's not a direct hit, though, about all that will happen is that a tank will need to replace the radio antennas, maybe a few vision blocks, and all the crew's gear.

Many thanks for your explanation my friend!. (smile).

Amicalement
Armand

Regardless of your location, in a bunker, MBT, APC, etc. … you DON'T want to be in the impact area of a Battery [ or more] of M109s !

outwardly from a distance is there much difference between the a7 and the a6 (miniatures)