M109 A6 Paladin – 1:35

Self-propelled 155mm M109

The M109 is an American self-propelled howitzer, 155 mm, put on the market in the early 1960s. It has been updated many times until the current version is M109 A6 Paladin. It is represented here and used only by the US Army. The M109 series is the most common Western indirect fire support weapon in the mobile brigade of armored and mechanized infantry divisions.

M109 crew consists of a section chief, pilot and three gunners. One gunner points the barrel to the right or left (drift), and assists the gunner to point the barrel up and down (height). The M109 A6 Paladin only needs one gunner and two magazines, for a total of six crew members.

The British Army replaced its M109 with AS-90. Several European armies have replaced or replaced the old M109 with the German PzH 2000. The United States and Switzerland (KAWEST) introduced improvements to M109. With the cancellation of the Crusades, the Paladins will continue to be the leading self-propelled howitzer in the United States in the coming years.

Self-propelled M109 A6 Paladin

Overall improvement in the areas of survival and weapons. This includes adding armor, redesigning the inner shell (safer) and the arrangement of the fitting mechanism. Engine and suspension upgrades, as well as M284 howitzers and M182A1 drilling rig upgrades. The biggest difference is the integration of a new inertial navigation system, this sensor can detect the status of the main weapon. Encrypted digital communication systems use computer-controlled frequencies to avoid enemy electronic attacks. It also allows the howitzer to send the position and height on the grid on the center of the fire field direction (FDC) of the battery.

In turn, the battery’s fire control center coordinated firing through a battalion or higher FDC. This allows the Paladin to stop and fire in less than 30 seconds. When properly placed, loaded and ready, its accuracy is comparable to previous models. In the best case, this process usually takes a few minutes. Tactically speaking, this allows batteries to be scattered throughout the field in pairs, thereby increasing the service life of the system. This also allows the howitzer to move quickly between shots, or when it is subject to indirect shots, air strikes, or enemy attacks.

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