The U.S. Army is buying as many as 228 upgraded and fast-moving 155-millimeter, self-propelled howitzer artillery vehicles with digital vetronics and modern power systems, as well as 30 companion ammunition carrier tracked armored combat vehicles. Officials of the Army Contracting Command-Tank and Automotive in Warren, Mich., announced a $227.9 million order late last month to the BAE Systems Platforms & Services segment in York, Pa., for 228 sets of M109A7 self-propelled howitzers and 30 M992A3 ammunition carriers. The M109A7 is the Army’s newest M109 version. Formerly known as the M109A6 Paladin Integrated Management (PIM), the M109A7 uses the existing main armament and cab structure of a Paladin M109A6 self-propelled cannon, and replaces the vehicle’s chassis components with modem components common to the M2A3 Bradley Fighting Vehicle. The goal of these upgrades is to enable the M109A7 artillery to keep up with the Army’s fast-moving armored brigade combat team (ABCT) alongside the M1 Abrams main battle tank and the M2 Bradley armored personnel carrier.
