M109 howitzer
The M109 is an American 155 mm turreted self-propelled howitzer, first introduced in the early 1960s to replace the M44. It has been upgraded a number of times, most recently to the M109A7. The M109 family is the most common Western indirect-fire support weapon of maneuver brigades of armored and mechanized infantry divisions.
"M109" redirects here. For other uses, see M109 (disambiguation).M109
United States
M109: 1963–present
M109A1: 1973–present
M109A2: 1979–present
M109A6: 1994–present
M109A7: 2015–present
See Operators
Vietnam War
Cambodian Civil War
Yom Kippur War
Western Sahara War
Iran–Iraq War
1982 Lebanon war
South Lebanon conflict (1985–2000)
Persian Gulf War
Iraq War
Gaza War
2014 Israel–Gaza conflict
War in Iraq (2013-2017)[1]
Yemeni Civil War (2015–present),
Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen
Syrian Civil War
Russian invasion of Ukraine
Israel–Hamas war
1952–1962
Cadillac
General Motors
Chrysler
BMY Harsco, formerly Bowen & McLaughlin York (1974–1994)
United Defense (1994–2005)
BAE Systems Inc. (2005–present)
Samsung (1985–2015)
Hanwha (2015–present)
27.5 tons
M109A7: 84,000 lb (38.1 t)
30 ft (9.1 m)
10 ft 4 in (3.15 m)
10 ft 8 in (3.25 m)
6 (commander, driver, gunner, 3 loaders)
M109A6–A7: 4 (commander, driver, gunner, loader)
separate loading, bagged charge
360°
Aluminum alloy
M109: M126 155 mm 23 caliber, 28 rounds
M109A1–A4: Watervliet Arsenal M185 155 mm 39 caliber, 28 rounds (A1) or 36 rounds (A2–A4)
M109A5–A7: M284 155 mm 39 caliber[4]
- M109: Detroit Diesel 8V71T 8-cylinder water-cooled turbocharged diesel engine 390 hp @ 2,300 rpm
- M109A1–A4: Detroit Diesel 8V71T 8-cylinder water-cooled supercharged diesel engine 405 hp @ 2.300 rpm
- M109A5–A6: Detroit Diesel 8V71T 8-cylinder water-cooled supercharged diesel engine 440 hp
- M109A7: V903 675 hp
Allison Transmission XTG-411-2A, 4 forward, 2 reverse
M109A6: Allison Transmission XTG-411-4
M109A7: HMPT-800
M109A7:
longitudinal slope: 60 %
lateral slope: 40 %
trench: 72 in (1.8 m)
fording: 42 in (1.07 m)
216 mi (350 km)
M109A7: 186 mi (300 km)
35 mph (56 km/h)
M109A7: 38 mph (61 km/h)
The M109 has a crew of four: the section chief/commander, the driver, the gunner, and the ammunition handler/loader. The chief or gunner aims the cannon left or right (deflection) and up and down (quadrant).
The British Army replaced its M109s with the AS-90. Several European armed forces have or are currently replacing older M109s with the German PzH 2000. Upgrades to the M109 were introduced by the U.S. (see variants) and by Switzerland (KAWEST). With the cancellation of the U.S. Crusader, Non-Line-of-Sight Cannon and M1299 the M109A6 ("Paladin") will likely remain the principal self-propelled howitzer for the U.S. until a replacement enters service.
Variants[edit]
M109[edit]
First produced in 1963. It had a 155 mm M126 cannon in an M127 mount, and carried 28 rounds of 155 mm ammunition. It was also armed with a .50cal M2HB machine gun with 500 rounds of ammunition. Easily identified by its short barrel and a double baffle muzzle brake with a large fume extractor just behind it. Maximum range of 14,600 meters.
Successors[edit]
The U.S. Army sought to replace the M109 with the XM2001 Crusader, initially part of the Armored Systems Modernization program. The program was canceled in 2002 amid criticism that the program was not in line with the Army's long-term plans for lighter armored brigades.[79] Funding was redirected to the Future Combat Systems Manned Ground Vehicles program, which produced the 18-ton XM1203 Non-Line-of-Sight Cannon as the program's lead effort. The Pentagon terminated the MGV program in 2009 due to concerns over its affordability.[80] The U.S. Army's M1299 howitzer was planned to be completed in 2021 and was to undergo operational assessment in 2023.[81] Due to issues with excessive wear on its barrel, the project was cancelled in 2024.[82]
