Flexibility, Firepower and Mobility

Flexibility, Firepower and Mobility. M109 to M109A7 155mm Self-Propelled (SP) Medium Howitzer. , The M109 series SP howitzer provided quick and efficient mobile artillery support on the battlefield from the Vietnam War to the Global War on Terror. Introduced in 1963, the M109 retained the same chassis and turret as its predecessor, the M108 105mm SP howitzer, but boasted a 155mm cannon with muzzle brake and fume extractor, as well as rear stabilization spades., Beginning in 1973, forty years of successive improvements yielded seven variants (M109A1-M109A7 "Paladin"), which incorporated a longer cannon tube, improved shielding, nuclear, biological and chemical protection, computer and communication systems, and a redesigned turret., In 2021, The U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center's (USAHEC) M109A5 Howitzer arrived at Letterkenny Army Depot (LEAD) in need of paint restoration. The skilled artisans within LEAD's Process Support Division meticulously sanded, prepped and painted the mobile gun platform, fully embracing the historical significance of their restoration mission. LEAD's partnership with USAHEC reinforces both organizations' commitment to preserving Army history.,

M109A5 SP Medium Howitzer Serial No. 6889. Armament: 155mm M284 cannon, .50 Caliber M2 machine gun , Engine: 405 hp Liquid Cooled 8V71T Turbocharged Diesel of 440 hp Low Heat Rejection Liquid Cooled 8V71T Turbocharged Diesel , Maximum Speed: 35 mph , Weight: 27.5 tons , Length: 30.1 ft , Height: 10.8 ft , Width: 10.3 ft , Crew: Chief of Section, Gunner, Ammo Team Chief, Assistant Gunner, Cannoneers 1, 2, 3, Howitzer Driver, Ammunition Support Vehicle Driver , Provenance: #6889 was initially manufactured as an M109A2, was later converted to an M109A4, and finally to its present model as an M109A5 in the late 1980s. It was then issued to a U.S. Army Forces Command (FORSCOM) unit at Fort Carson, Colorado to be used for training in 1989.

, [Captions:] , An M109A3 with M992 Ammunition Support Vehicle and M332 Ammunition Trailer (right) from 3rd Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery, 1st Cavalry Division, firing in support of Operation Quick Strike during Desert Storm, February 24, 1991., Members of the LEAD's Process Support Division pose by the restored M109A5.