M109 PALADIN
The M109 Paladin is a self-propelled artillery vehicle used for ground support operations; it saw its debut in the Vietnam War. Its primary armament is the M126 155 mm Howitzer, and it also features a .50 caliber M2 machine gun. The effective range of the Howitzer is 11 miles (conventional) and 19 miles (rocket-assisted projectile). A crew of 6 operates the M109, with a section chief, driver, gunner, assistant gunner, and two ammunition handlers. It has an operational range of 216 miles and can achieve a speed of 35 mph (12 mph when driving over terrain).
The M109 was first produced in 1963 by United Defense, which is now part of BAE Systems. Numerous variants of the M109 have been developed. They include the M109 A1, M109 A1B, M109 A2, M109 A3, M109 A3B, M109 A4, M109 A5, M109 A5+, M109 A6 Paladin (which only requires a crew of 4 and gives the platform its current name), M109 “KAWEST” (a Swiss improved version), M109 L52 (jointly developed by the Dutch and German firms RDM and Rheinmetall, respectively), and M109 PIM. The vehicle can surmount graded terrain up to a 60-degree angle, cross a 6-foot deep trench, and climb a wall that is 1.75 feet tall.
Please see our product directory for parts STS can supply on the M109 Paladin.