Sgt.Braxton Bird
a motor transport operator with the 213th Forward Support Company, Utah National
Guard, loads a 155mm artillery round onto a truck to transport it to a gun line during
Western Strike 22 at Orchard Combat Training Center, Idaho, June 10, 2022.
Meantime M109A6 Paladin Crews from 1st Battalion, 145th Field Artillery Regiment, 65th Field
Artillery Brigade, Utah National Guard start engines and move to positions on the training
field
Western Strike 22 is an exportable Combat Training Capabilities exercise led by the
65th Field Artillery Brigade, nicknamed America’s Thunder, part of Utah Army National Guard,
brings together over 2,000 army National Guard Soldiers, in addition to their battalions,
the 65th Field Artillery Brigade (FAB) was also accompanied by aviation Soldiers from
Utah, and active-duty Soldiers from Texas and Washington.
Each component was summoned by the 65th FAB for one simple reason: to train and build
a force that is ready to deploy at a moment's notice
The footage today focuses on M109A6 Paladin Crews who are operating through desert terrain
conditions, which is one of the features of the 143,000 acre Orchard Combat Training Center.
Operating in day time temperatures of 27°c (celsius) and night time temperatures of 14°c
(celsius) with no rainfall, the dust was ever present, confirming the training centers repution
for providing realistic and challenging conditions.
The crew of four, a commander, a driver, a gunner and a loader are to a point protected
by its light armour, it can protect the crew from small arms fire but is very vunerable
to counter battery fire.
The Paladin crew rely on the self-propelled artillery ‘shoot and scoot’ capability
and accurate firing tactics.
when the M109A6 Paladin fires the first round from the move, usually within 30-60 seconds,
the crew know its very likely every time you fire a round, the enemy can zero in on your
position and fire back.
The ‘shoot and scoot’ capability allows the 32 tons Paladin with a top speed of 35
miles per hour to move enough of a distance away from its original firing position to
avoid returning enemy fire.
The M109A6 Paladin main armament is a 155mm M284 cannon, which is fitted with an M182
gun mount, it has a range of 24km using unassisted rounds or 30km using assisted rounds.
The Paladin is capable of firing up to four rounds per minute reducing to a sustained
rate of one round every three minutes to allow cooling of the gun barrel.
A 12.7mm M2 machine gun is mounted on the right hand side of the turret.
The Howitzer can carry 39 155 mm rounds and is supported on the field by M992A2 Field
Artillery Ammunition Support Vehicles, built on the chassis of the M109-series howitzer,
the ammunition vehicle has no turret, but has a taller superstructure to store 90-95
rounds
In 2013 BAE Systems was awarded a contract to upgrade M109A6 Paladin to the A7 standard
including updating M992A2 to the A3 standard.
U.S Army units began receiving the new Paladins in 2018.
The 35 tons M109A7 howitzer and the M992A3 tracked ammunition carrier vehicle seen here,
now shares common chassis components with the Bradley Fighting Vehicle (BFV) such as
the engine, transmission, and tracks.
The M109A7 howitzer features improvements to the guns accuracy and velocity consistancy,
it can sustain a one-round per-minute rate of fire and a maximum rate of fire of four
rounds per-minute.
One feature is the M109A7 is capable of using new projectiles like the rocket-boosted & GPS-guided
M982 Excalibur, previously trialled with the M109A6 it has an effective range of about 40km or
25 miles.
Both vehicles have gone through an extensive modernisation programme to improve size, weight,
power, cooling, readiness, force protection and survivability,its anticipated the upgrades
will keep the M9 Platforms operational through 2050
The first national guard unit to receive the upgraded paladin was the North Carolina National
Guard, first delivery May 24th 2021.
No news as of yet if or when the Utah National Guard will receive the A7 upgrade.