Way back in 1989-90 I was on a M109 crew (#1 it was called then, I think. I pulled the lanyard) in 1/2 ACR in Germany. Unfortunately I didn't realize how awesome it was what I was doing. It's obvious with how clean these guys are this was all filmed for a dog and pony show!
0:53 In our 109A3 had a section chief get his hand caught in the breech trying to tap the powder bag in the same second the number 1 man yelled “closing”. The swear words coming out of that mans mouth. I could not stop laughing from my AG position. Good times!
This shit's so inefficient. The US should just buy the PZH2000 or K9 Thunders and make modifications as they see fit. Because the rounds per minute coming outta the Paladin is abysmal compared to those systems I just mentioned. Not to mention just how unsafe the environment is inside the Paladin for our troops. I doubt the K9 Thunders are as expensive as the Paladins!
From being an M109A2 Chief from back in the late '70's - I can see several changes with things like the 'charge' canister (used to be a bag), no Assistant Gunner or AG station evident, females in the crew (a no no back then), and even [apparently] a different rank structure. What was the electronic box that the loader (?) was using atop the projectile? Was that some sort of time or proximity-fuse setting device? Still exciting for me to experience this (even if it's only in a video now), even after so many years. Thanks for posting this.
@@cylinderroller - When I was stationed as a Section Chief with the 1/10 FA in Schweinfurt, Germany ('78 - '80), I had a loader, originally from Chicago, that never used the rammer. He not only always set all my 'Joe's' by hand, he had also braided our lanyard to about a 6" length. A 'bad dude' with a heart of gold - I still miss him.
They're Norwegian. Women have been able to serve here in any capacity for a while now (provided they meet requirements), and in 2015 conscription was extended to also include all women born after 1997. This doesn't mean they all serve though... they don't need the amount of people they are offered, so at first most cohorts only saw about 10% serve.... ...but with Putin's recent antics, that number is much higher today.
And see the PHZ 2000 that is smooth People and only three all that other only Krab and Archer too the best Artillery about safty and quick System loading full automatic only that Way the Cech learned with Zusana 2 is also perfect 👍
Except ukrainian crews fire just as fast if not faster and is way more reliable and still operational while the ceaser's are completely out of action 😂
The speed of a modern howitzer is largely independent from the materiel used and mostly depend on crew training , tactical situation and thermal condition of the barrel. All modern howitzer declares more or less 6 rounds every minute, and this was achievable even 30 or 40 years ago (for the first minute or less) but alas, nobody fires for one hour at a time nowadays, probably not even one minute of continuous fire is possible if the enemy is competent. These crews here are training, and stand to attention waiting for orders or signal at every step, safety and precision being paramount in peacetime crew evaluation.
Ok do these come with a shoulder mount? Could a 6ft, 1" person stand up inside this? Looks close. Thanks to all for your commitment and service. God watch over you.
I love how they just chuck the shells on the floor, as a former abrams tanker, we had to treat ours with care due to the paper/cellulose casing... so alien to me.
Yep, all steel casings make things easier. However, you do cringe when someone is carrying them on a shoulder and wipes out dropping it about 5-6 feet. You’re like damn dude be careful! Old 13B
はい、これは「ランヤード」と呼ばれており、操作の仕組みにより、誤って榴弾砲を発砲することはほとんど不可能です。(Yes, it's called a "Lanyard" and the mechanics of operation make it almost impossible to accidentally fire the howitzer).
Ironically the A3 shown looked considerably faster to fire and doesn't use that stupid bullet and pull cable firing system that appears to be from the 1700's. They just push a button. 🤷♂ Are they un-devloping this vehicle? Progress seemed to go in reverse from the A7 to the A3GN.
Rate of fire on the M109A3GN looks pretty good! Rate of fire on the M109A6 and M109A7 looks terrible for a modern self-propelled howitzer. Why do the American versions use such clunky methods that result in such a slow rate of fire? Even the old Swiss M109 KAWEST could easily obtain a max rate of fire of 7-8 rounds per minute. It is just unacceptable that the U.S. Army's primary self-propelled artillery in the year 2024 is so far behind similar systems used by other First World nations. There is no reason why the M109A7 shouldn't be equipped with an automatic loading system that can send 9-10 rounds downrange in a minute.
It's simple answer, the KAWEST video I saw doesn't have the same procedure. The A7 would be as fast if they just shoving ammo and charge inside the chamber.
Of course they can reload faster without them getting the 'permission' from their howitzer sergeant. They sacrifice reloading speed for crewman's safety, which is better from the longer perspective. There's a video where crews finish reloading a m109 within 13 seconds. (M109 Reload and Fire: by username Kanndors)
That crew is soft... we were firing fast as fuck when I was in. They made the battalion commander come sit in the gun to make sure we weren't pre-loading, taping the lanyard, or finger popping the firing mech
Sometimes the firing sequence for guns are considered classified, so it is worth watching. The crews of M109A7 are well trained, but the internal design for munition relay seems to be inconvenient on ergonomics resulting in time loss, which I have to agree for the government to explore a new howitzer.
The firing sequence is not classified. You can find it online if you look hard enough. But I agree, I am often jealous of other country's auto-loaders, but there is value in having a non-auto-loading system.
