BAE Systems has received a $299m contract from the U.S. Army for the production of 40 sets of M109A7 Self-Propelled Howitzers and their companion, the M992A3 ammunition carriers.
The award, received on July 1 say the firm, is for production, delivery, and spare parts for these vehicle sets.
“The M109A7 is the latest howitzer in the BAE Systems M109 family of vehicles, and is the primary indirect fire support system for the Army’s Armored Brigade Combat Teams (ABCT). The M109A7 program provides increased commonality across the ABCT and has significant built-in growth potential for electrical power and weight capacity.”
“Providing the most robust, survivable, and responsive indirect fire support capabilities for the ABCT is a primary focus for our artillery program,” said Scott Davis, vice president of ground vehicles for BAE Systems’ Combat Mission Systems business.
“We are committed to delivering a vehicle that will provide the modernized capabilities the ABCT needs to execute missions with confidence.”
BAE add in a news release that the M109A7 program is “a significant upgrade over the vehicle’s predecessor, the M109A6 Paladin Self-Propelled Howitzer”.
The M109A7 vehicle design includes a new chassis, engine, transmission, suspension, steering system, a new high voltage architecture, and improved survivability.
BAE Systems received the initial contract for M109A7 production in 2017. This most recent order brings the total number of vehicle sets — M109A7 howitzers and M992A3 Carrier, Ammunition, Tracked (CAT) vehicle sets to 310 and the total contract value to $1.9 billion.
M109A7 and M992A3 production and support takes place at the Anniston Army Depot in Alabama and BAE Systems facilities in York, Pa.; Minneapolis, Minn.; Sterling Heights, Mich.; Endicott, N.Y.; Elgin, Okla., and Aiken, S.C..
What is our plan for artillery in the uk? Do we even have one?
As I understand it we are going to order around 116 units. Hanwha is a runner but also Bae’s Archer system. Both have good points so…
I do wonder whether rather than scrapping the AS90 we could look at a reserve regiment or two?
Is that just to replace AS90?
I think it’s one for one by 2030’ish. I think we had knocking on for 200 AS90 originally or close to that but numbers have dwindled as always.
Yes, around 179 vehicles.
There was talk of it also replacing L118 in army reserve units and 4th regiment RA.
What happened to sending AS90s to Ukraine?
Cesar shelling of Snake Island suggests wheels are the way to go. But as you suggest need it be ‘either-or’?
Nice to think so but we’ve got to get this 116 first.
I read the story behind that it was a pretty unique operation, they used their own unique self propelled guns too which were similar. You certainly could not have used a tracked alternative but not sure if its very unusual rather specialist scenario really reflects our needs or indeed most others.
Probably not; and if you have an air strike capability you have other options of course. Could the Boxer 155mm be the best of both worlds?
Yes, it WAS 116 guns. But that is a lot for 3 regiments, even including some at the RSA/14 Reg and some for the AR.
This programme some believe has fallen victim to a stealth cut numbers wise.
One of the regiments that could have operated it is now converting to GMLRS.
There’s more stealth inside the M25 fortress than there is in an F35!
I’m outside of that fortress luckily!
Hopefully 4reg RA also gets some of the replacement, as well as the three army reserve regiments.
It should do, as it’s now with 7 LMBCT.
3 RHA is switching to MLRS, that’s the cut to guns I mentioned to Geoffrey.
If the army got their act together and stopped crap cuts like 3 RLC which is due for the chop while 1 DRSB has no RLC formation to support its artillery regiments. 4 LBCT is devoid of any CS CSS regulars at all and rebuilding them and the RA is priority for me never mind wanting fantasy fleets of tanks.
To be honest I welcome the switch from the light guns to MLRS. It was known 30 years ago that 105mm artillery isn’t effective at penetrating new armour. The light guns should only have been used by the paras and the marines. My only issue with the change is that each regiment will only get 12 MLRS with the 3rd battery being provided by the army reserve on deployment. This means that whilst it looks like an increase of rocket artillery from one to two regiments it really isn’t. The only positives for the RA that I see is that… Read more »
Exactly!!! Hence the cuts, one if the batteries is going into suspended animation, N Battery to 7 RHA apparently, if memory serves. Whether 105 is any use or not it’s still another gun regiment gone that could have had the future MF gun. They are used, as I know you know, as the AS90 regiments of 7 Armd Bde and 2 Mechanized Bde were cut, so LG out in instead. 3 RHA, 4 RA. I guess better than disbandment. They did the same smoke and mirrors trick when the original MLRS reg was cut in A2020 2010 cuts and the… Read more »
Supacat had a vehicle at a recent arms show with a 105mm mounted on it. Used an American soft recoil system. The idea was to shoot & scoot. Prototype built in answer to A British request. I have no idea if the UK will order some.
It should be air portable then and even an underslung load on Chinook.
Ideal for 16 AA? Maybe Airborne can ask his brother who is/was 7 RHA.
I sometimes wonder if there’s a special course at staff college for Army officers to learn how to hide a cut in a re-organisation…! I’m hoping that the lessons of Ukraine force a rethink on the reductions in the artillery branch, but I’m not hugely optimisitc frankly. I’d be interested to know how the Hanwa K9 compares price-wise with the Archer and Ceasar- the Korean manufacture may well make it the cheaper option. That said, maintenance is still going ot be higher on a tracked chassis, so for my money would still go for wheels. Do the Koreans do one?… Read more »
Morning Joe.
No idea re wheeled Korean.
When FCF was announced there was talk of new fires for them, including 29 RA but no announcement do far.
I did see a Twitter slide that was quickly deleted ( maybe shown when it should not have been? ) outlining some of the things they were thinking of. Drones, precision missiles, rockets, and so on.
Actually buying the stuff is another matter entirely!
I’m a civvy too as you know, and leave military realities to the experts!
Glad to know us lot on here aren’t the only ones with wish lists then- if the army are at it too!
I guess we can just sit back and hope for some good procurement news…
Been seeing quite a lot of rocket/missile systems on quite small vehicles of late, so a small footprint and agile mobility if a small load out, but then you have one or two more in support carrying spare missiles (sure I saw a Humvee set up in Ukraine of this nature). Now most of these are anti aircraft or drone units true, but what potential options and logic are there to adapt specialist vehicles, be it the lighter SuperCat vehicles or US equivalents like JLTVs to be employed as towed 105mm replacements, or is that impractical. Obviously we have had… Read more »
I am definitely against cuts, but on the flipside it’s worth seeing the affect that 12 HIMARS have had on the Ukraine conflict; the precision of GMLRS dos seem to make up for some quantity. And if the switch has been 105s to HIMARS? That’s actually a significant increase in capabilty for a change!
What the hell, DM. You do love your acronyms, don’t you? Haha. There’s more in that para than in an episode of ‘Line of Duty’. I don’t know more than half of them! 🙁 And some don’t appear lookable upable.Just sayin’…
😆 all are lookable upable, otherwise I’d not be talking of them here. Acronyms are everywhere in MoD and I use them too as it saves much typing. Which are you not up to speed with? LMBCT Light Mechanized Brigade Combat Team, Future Soldiers new look 7 brigade, the desert rats. RHA Royal Horse Artillery. DRSBCT Deep Recc Strike Bde Combat Team, a renamed 1 Artillery Bde, which is an administrative formation. MoD say it’s also a merger with 1 Armoured Infantry Bde but that’s cobblers and spin as much of that bdes units are either not in the DRSBCT… Read more »
Many thanks for the translations, Daniele. My trouble is, I’m rubbish at memory-retention of such things. I don’t even know the basic formations of the British Army, nor even the key senior officer ranks, despite growing up with efforts at education from my dad (who was in REME and then an inspector at IFVME). I think I need to write down a list of all your offerings and keep them by my side. Yes, I’ll do that. You are right about my knowing the more common established ones; it’s the more recent ones reflecting changes in doctrine / policy which… Read more »
He might have known Ian M and Graham, two of our regular posters here who were also REME.
That’s a nice idea, but I think there’ll be a generation gap here. My dad’s long dead: he served in Cyprus, Alexandria and Palestine (later to become hotspots all!) after WWII.
Ah, I’m sorry to hear that Shelley. As for the acronyms, just ask and happy to help. 👌
My memory has always been bad, I remember going through repetitive routines prior to exams knowing even then 48hours would likely be the maximum stickability for many. Those with good memories just don’t understand this problem and it’s not a visible disability. Now in my 60s it’s far worse and yes it does get frustrating when esp as a non military bod a lot of these acronyms are used though I understand why they are. There was one on here used by someone on here which I spent best part of 30 minutes trying to look up and failing as… Read more »
If you ever need to know something, details, ORBATS, ongoing or previous plans/changes or general chit chat Daniele is the site ninja on up to date military knowledge! I’m ex mil and would love to use Daniele as my encyclopaedia as his knowledge far outstrips mine and most others 😂👍!
DM for Minister of Defence!
👍🇬🇧👍
Oh yes, Airborne. I’ve been plugging into DM’s compendious knowledge of military matters for some years now.Respect!
I don’t know how he does it; that must be a heck of a lot of reading.
PS. I just had to look up ORBATS! So now I know. Thanks.
Are K2 and Archer that far ahead of M109a7 that the latter is out of consideration?
The 109 is getting on a bit, although it’s been upgraded umpteen times. The other two are more modern and generally have a better speed and ops. range. The Archer has a very fast fire rate and can hit targets on land or sea It can also get out of trouble quickly
This version of the Mi09 is now based on the Bradley chassis so is basically a different vehicle from the A6.
It is supposedly built with an upgrade path for the extended range canon which will swap put the 52 cal for a 58 cal and push the range out to previously impossible levels, especially with smart munitions.
Other than the name 109 , those versions jave been upgraded so often it’s hard to compare models amongst users.
Unfortunately AS-90 was starved of upgrade cash, it was due to get a longer barrell over a decade ago.
Cheers David. Starved for cash. That’s a new one isn’t it!😟
Given we used to own M109’s and then replaced them with AS90 it would probably be too embarrassing to then replace AS90 with M109.
The ex British M109’s were sold to Austria, who upgraded them, and they recently sold them on to Latvia.
QED: there was nothing wrong with them.
Yes I did have to smile at the thought.
Agree Geoff. War in Ukraine should have taught the MOD not to scrap anything. Store it away and keep hardware for a rainy day. Heavy artillery and SPGs could be stored for 20-30 years and still be a relevant indirect fire support capability.
Agree Geoff. Ukraine war has proven the validity of retaining key pieces of hardware in a preserved state to hold back as a reserve.
In war attrition has to be accounted for. Its folly to think the UK armed forces will not lose any tanks, artillery pieces, jets, planes, helicopters or ships. Having just enough for peacetime does not equate to having enough for war.
Id like to see 5 or 6 type 23s held as a reserve squadron to be reactivated as ASW assets if we needed them.
Hello Mr. Bell
Yes.This has crossed my mind many times over the years. I’m not suggesting we get into the days of big reserve fleets or whatever but as you say maybe four “cleaned up” T23’s; a couple of squadrons of Tranche 1 Typhoons or C130’s or indeed artillery pieces. All a question of men and money of 🤔course.
Which tends to prove that we tend to build our armed forces for peacetime and at best deterrence rather than actually fighting a war. A little naive, the 21st C isn’t going to be the period of peace that we had determined it was going to be.
We are modernizing the M270 and will be getting the cruise missile like Precision Strike missile ammunition as well, we are looking at replacements for the AS-90. As mentioned K9 is frontrunner and the Koreans have created an uprated A2 spec for British requirements with more engine power, remote control, more armour and higher accuracy (has 5 running wheels rather than 4 to handle the greater weight) also a longer gun being offered as an option which would boost range. K9A2 would at least be partially manufactured in Britain by Lockheed and Leonardo. (Interestingly the Polish opted for the lower… Read more »
I think Poland opted for the A1 simply for speed of delivery. They intended to just buy the Krab but have decided to buy K9s too to meet their accelerated delivery targets. Had the Ukrainian invasion hadn’t occurred they would have probably stuck with the original timeline and just Krabs.
The way the Poles are ordering, they’re anticipating war sometime this decade.
They are picking up some of the already in production over the next year and a half (18 this year and 30 in 2023) but then theres a gap until they start the production of K9PL in 2024 in South Korea and 2026 in Poland with the K9A1 to be upgraded to K9PL. The Main difference with the PL version is it uses Polands domestic Topaz artillery management software as used in the Krabs as well as Polish radios. They are also ordering from Korea the K11 C2 countery battery radar/command vehicle and K10 ARV ammunition resupply vehicles. They already… Read more »
I think the Poles have an eye to not just resisting but defeating the Russian army in the field by having a better. More heavily equipped. More modern army. In essence outgunning the Russians whilst surpassing them for mobility, range and accuracy. With some 1300 modernish MBTs Abrahms and K2s in service they stand a good chance. If only the UK would undertake a few sensible rearnament options and shut down caoability gaps and ptovide a bit more resilience. Wouldnt take much: RN. All type 45s go into shipyards for sea ceptor upgrade asap and are fitted with Interim Anti… Read more »
Yes the Poles don’t want Poland to end up looking like Ukraine should the Russians invade. They’re looking to stop them at or close to the border and defeat them in battle. As for your shopping list, the Sea Ceptors should be fitted when the T45’s are in for the power upgrade. But we can’t have them all in at the same time, as the carriers would be stuck in port until completed. Type 26 was never planned for 26 hulls. It’s was planned a like for like replacement for the 13 T23’s. Only 8 of the T23’s are sub-hunters… Read more »
Nothing wrong with being rich so long as It isn’t at the expense of most people in the country getting poorer. Everyone needs to get wealthier together. If it isn’t like that you get the us and then situation which just breeds hatred and jealously.
If you don’t have people who are wealthier then there’s no motivation for people to work hard and get on in life. What you get is everyone reduced to the same level, which results in uncompetitiveness, stagnation, and poverty (cf Eastern Bloc, ‘45 to ‘91).
Jealousy and hatred is a personal choice based on character, just because someone is poor doesn’t makes them envious and jealous. Plenty of poor people without those vices, and plenty with money who do have them.
That’s a rather Black and White take there is far more grey between those extremes both of which will only lead to eventual societal collapse.
Geez and how well that aged by comparison to the above.
How would this be funded? Raise taxes? Borrow or cut expenditure elsewhere?
Geez that didn’t age well.
They have to don’t they. It also has a lot to the change in strategy from falling back many miles to buy time for external reinforcements to defending every inch of the border after seeing what the Russians did in Ukraine especially in Bucha with all the atrocities committed. If they do that to those they call ‘brothers’ one can only imagine what they would do to the rest of us before arranging instant referendums to incorporate occupied areas into their western lands historically determined by some ancient Zsar no doubt, and threatening to defend them with nuclear weapons.
Lockheed? How can the Army / MoD even consider them after the Warrior debacle. They should be kicked out of allcombat vehicle projects and told to stick to what they’re good at: planes and missiles and associated electronic systems.
Whatever the plan was, it needs to be updated as a matter of some urgency. Watch Forces News, Tobias Ellwood MP on YouTube. He tells it how it is.
Tobias Elwood, the guy who wanted CSG 2021 diverted to assist in the evacuation of Afghanistan 🤦🏻♂️
Evacuation was probably the wrong word for that debacle. It implies some planning and organisation. Whatever the correct term is, it needs to include “Bidenesque.”
TE MP was a Cpt in the Royal Green Jackets, not the RN. Geography – probably not his strong point. Just out of interest and before we make complete fools of ourselves. What was the longest ferry range of the helicopters deployed with the CSG, did they have Chinook?
Zero Chinooks aboard CSG.
I’d had thought geography pretty important if you’re in the army…
Presumably he thought they could pitch tents on the flight deck to house the refugees and then order take-aways from to be flown in from the nearest McDonalds…
I read the headline and thought great, we’re getting some replacement artillery, and oh, that’s not the Hanwha one some people were saying we were likely to get.
Then I read on. The Americans are getting more artillery, not us. Nice, but what are we Brits doing about Ukraine replacements? Sticking with AS90 or moving forward? The new Mobile Fires project is supposed to be IOC in 2029. Surely the decision needs bringing forward, so we don’t waste money on a system scheduled for replacement. Perhaps ordering a few right now from S. Korea will help us decide.
So does this latest version bring the M109 up to the standard of the AS90? 😉
I will take the wink means your joking. AS90 needs a big upgrade to vehicle, systems, gun. So is it worth it or better getting a whole new system? Above my skills to answer that.
Yeh, tongue in cheek. I think the irony is that we bought AS90 at the time in preference to M109 which has been the subject of continuous upgrade over the years…..
Yet again a good system when new, no export orders and an upgrade path that rapidly hits a dead end.
This is what makes me angry. The French have sold lots of Cesars. What are they doing right?
Watching the Cesars on Forces TV this morning, I was impressed with the simplicity and speed of the French system. 60 seconds to fire from pulling up, 5 rounds fired in 80 seconds, then back moving within 60 seconds, all before their rounds have hit the target.
Belgium is buying nine Ceasr platforms, heavily armoured for less per unit than the US is paying for its units. The Ceasars they are buying include everything to get them into the field, quite a bargain.
“5 round in 80 seconds”?!?!
The AS99 can do 3 in 10 seconds, and 6 in 60 seconds.
Any replacement for AS90 needs as good or better rate of fire, and should require smaller crew than Caesar.
Even worse… we bought AS90 to replace our M109’s.
Not sure what your point is. We bought 179 AS90s to replace very old M109s and that was a good decision. We should have upgraded AS90 some years later and there was a programme, but it got stopped, that was the problem.
That seems like a really good price for 40 sets. I’m not sure what’s in a set and how many support vehicles that is. Then later on 310 systems for $1.9 billion. As has been shown for slow moving lines against a conventional army artillery still plays a big part. The more accurate, longer range the better and of course mobility. Will this A7 version be able to get the same accuracy and range as the PZH2000? What will be interesting to find out is from operators in Ukraine that have used different systems to see what they say about… Read more »
Once the dust settles in Ukraine I can see training teams zipping off left, right and centre leading training cadres and tactics throughout western militaries. It will be on all manner of disciplines from Arty to AT, mortar & general manoeuvring in hostile environments – especially against peer opponents. The lessons learned there will shape land warfare techniques for the foreseeable future. I would be very surprised to see China make any sort of move on Taiwan in the near future as you can bet your bottom dollar they have watched Russian mistakes in Ukraine and noted many instances where… Read more »
From what I read China still doesn’t have the logistics to attack taiwan anyway. To succeed they would need to land a significant force by sea and that requires a massive sea lift capability, which they don’t currently have.
As Russia found, landing a light force by air only gets you so far, you need the heavy gear and supply chain to be shortly behind, which can only come by sea and in a war situation that would be an extremely dangerous and costly process.
Truly hope your report re ChiCom amphibious and logistics capabilities is correct. Follow on issue, given PLAN build rate, how long will status quo remain? Don’t believe annexation of Taiwan is terminus of ChiCom ambition for an instant.
Steve, you are quite right, add to that they don’t have anywhere near the heavy life capacity the US has. Plus, they have seen how deadly land-based antiship missiles are. The Taiwanese most likely have those units in very well concealed positions looking over the Formosa Straight.
China have indirection acquired a huge sea-lift capability, by requiring domestic commercial shipping to be capable of use by the military at short notice. Just looking at vessels owned by the PLAN gives a massive underestimate of their capability.
You can’t use commercial vessels for a beach landing against a well defended country, it would be a turkey shoot. You need to get huge amount of hardware across first so you can secure a port. The Falklands was different as Argentine pulled it’s navy, most of its heavy gear and it’s airforce prior to the task force arriving and was therefore also operating at range.
After the initial foothold is secured then the commercial stuff will come into play, but getting and securing that foothold would be extremely hard
You would be talking Normandy level of ships.
But you can use roll-on/ roll-off vessels once you’ve secured ports with your advance forces.
The U.K. has the Point Class for this very purpose, sea-lift into ports.
You can, but they will be attacking a country that will have plenty of advance warnings and there are only so many ports to defend. It would be very hard to secure and hold one without a land bridge.
But they will have air superiority, a huge numerical advantage, and the traditional laisser faire attitude that communist regimes have towards casualties. You can be sure they’ll pound Taiwan for weeks before they launch an assault to take a port.
Air supremacy will be hard to maintain though, as Taiwan has had decades to prepare it’s air defense and it would be a gamble by China as to whether the US would get involved. Should the early bombardments hit any of the US bases in the country the US probably wouldnt have a choice as public opinion wouldnt accept US forces being killed. If the US gets involved then the air supremacy will be heavily weakened, as the US could deploy a few carrier strike forces there in not too long a period. Providing both jets and missile defenses from… Read more »
There aren’t any US bases in Taiwan.
At most there’s 40 marines attached to the American Institute that acts as an unofficial embassy. The bases they had were all shut in the 70’s.
China’s naval expansion programme, especially with regards to carriers, submarines, and anti-ship ballistic missiles are all focussed at neutralising the threat from America’s carriers.
I stand corrected. I read there are around 2k troops in the country according to the dod, so I assumed they would be in a base, guess they are using local ones.
I guess a handful of US casualties is not going to trigger a war, would need to be a much bigger number, several hundred.
And they’d probably be withdrawn as preparations for invasion became obvious – as happened with USA and U.K. troops prior to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Yes the USA has lost troops in numerous incidents over the decades and not gone to war over them. The days of the War of Jenkins’ Ear are over.
Yeah that is my assumption also, the last thing the US wants is a war with China, it just can’t win. Even if it wins militarily, it’s game over for them economically.
The world would so what they did with ukraine, help but from distance
With the interconnectedness of economies globally these days, a war between any 2 G7 states could cause a global economic meltdown – between the largest even more so. Throw in the impact of climate change and it would make the depression of the 1930’s look like a minor blip.
Depresssion comes no where near the losses caused by ww1 or ww2, but yeah another world war just doesn’t make sense in 2022, no country would come out of it better off.
The big unknown is how much China is embedded into western polictics. We know Boris slipped his minders to spend time with a KGB spy during the NATO meeting on the response to the poisoning on UK soil, as confirmed by Boris himself (based on his responses to the committee he should be investigated for treason but won’t be), this was also confirmed by the fbi. We know that trump was deeply in russian influence. No doubt more will come out from across Europe. I suspect Putin thought his money and influence had brought off the west and that they… Read more »
Oh that is hilarious!!! I really haven’t read anything so funny all week. So here the facts: • Boris did not ‘slip his minders’ • Boris bumped into the former KGB spy at a party • Plenty of former KSB/ FSB have worked for us, hence the ‘former’ bit. • Boris is the western leader Putin hates most. Boris started supplying weapons to Ukraine before any other nation and British contributions to Ukraine’s war effort is second only the USAs. It’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve heard to suggest he’s under Russian influence, the facts of the last 5 months… Read more »
Someone hasn’t read the written statement that he made or listened to the interview he did and just reading the daily telegraph.
Someone is as accurate at predicting my reading habits as he is about foreign interference in British politics. In other words, completely and utterly, and ridiculously wrong.
ps: primary news source, BBC
pps: try viewing the world impartiality instead of through your twisted political bias and you might actually learn something.
Plus any invasion would need months of build up from China which would be easily spotted, as happened with Russia. In that time I’m guessing huge amounts of anti air and anti ship equipment would be donated /brought by Taiwan, as we have seen with Russia, just this time around the west and Asia would be quicker as they have learnt their lessons
So a couple of months of rushing air-defences in to counter a Chinese build-up of land attack missiles it’s been building at pace for years…
The difference between Russia and China is that Putin only got the Ukraine invasion into his head during the pandemic lockdown. His military were in no shape with regard to equipment, training, tactics, or organisation to fulfil his plans…
China has been planning and provisioning for the invasion of Taiwan for decades already.
I could counter that with Russia has been planning for invading/defending Europe since ww2 and had a land bridge allowing ease of movement. All of Russia’s miltiary was geared for a war just like ukraine, but they botched it.
Russia stopped planning to invade Europe after the USSR disintegrated. It scrapped most of its new weapons programmes, scrapped or let rust ships, submarines, etc. it’s obviously not be maintaining the stocks of Soviet equipment it inherited from the way vehicle tyres failed during the advance into Ukraine. Russia’s military has mainly been focussed on putting down separatist forces, such as Chechens. Putin had talked big about new weapons since he took over but… how many squadrons of stealth aircraft do they have? How many regiments of Amata tanks do they have? How many destroyers or larger have they built… Read more »
Its not wholly new build, they are taking existing ones (some ln service, some in cold storage) slicing off the fighting compartment and welding it to a Bradley chassis. the previous A6 Paladin had modernization of the weapon itself this A7 version is about modernizing the running performance, getting a bit more electrical power for future upgradeability and dealing with the previous chassis being obsolete and non-conforming (didnt have any parts commonality with other army vehicles).
“includes a new chassis, engine, transmission, suspension, steering system, a new high voltage architecture, and improved survivability.”
Ship of Theseus.
Doesn’t the human body replace every cell over 7 year period?
Urban myth based upon the misinterpretation that the average age of a cell in the human body is 7 years. Some cells are never replaced, cerebral cortex, lenses, etc.
Damm. I’m fcuked. 😂
Where have the likes gone?
👏👏🙂
Some in the ear never recover from range days.
😧 fasting on the Ember days is the way to go..😉
The A6 version essentially replaced the fighting compartment and gun while keeping the same chassis, the A7 version replaces the chassis while keeping the A6 fighting compartment.
Yes Ship of Theseus.
Aka Trigger’s Broom…
Or Triggers Broom 😉
More like triggers broom!
Those Greek types got there about three or more thousand years ago.
A little off topic, My mate (ex army) sent me this video of a so called pro russian expert based in the Uk) on the war currently raging in the Ukraine. Peddles a load of misinformation and people actually see him as some sort of expert. What a load of tosh.
I hate that guy. A smug, smarmy, self-satisfied, pro-Russian, leftist pseudo-intellectual scumbag…….in my honest opinion. Ah, that feels better.
It’s funny how the hard-left still cling onto the memory of their workers paradise the USSR even though it ceased to exist 30 years ago.
Mate that’s because the hard left are fucking simpletons, shit bust!
For some strange reason in the US it’s the hard right that’s pro-Russia.
Actually it’s the hard-right and hard-left that support Putin, and it’s not just in America but the U.K. too. It’s quite surreal watching these two extreme wings of politics often supporting the same things.
While both have a tendency to authoritarianism – and Putin is a classic dictator – it’s more the case that they will support anyone and anything that’s against western liberal democracy. Their support is driven by hatred of the west as it currently is.
They’re not just simpletons but pitifully clingy to their lost dream… pretty pathetic really 🤷🏻♂️
Is he based near Milton Keynes? 😄
Jack, you must stop holding back on your thoughts!
Is that the fellow who was disbarred for fraud? Russian media makes use of many of these useful idiots. Modern day Philbys.
Matt C wrote: Is that the fellow who was disbarred for fraud? Yup. Russian media makes use of many of these useful idiots. Modern day Philbys. Do they ever, in the above video, he rattles on about how superiour the Russians are in everything (including reporting the news) makes a huge sniggering dig at the British MOD reporting and completly whitewashes over how the 3 bridges that join Kherson to the south bank on the overside of the Dnipro have been taken out cutting off Russian forces on the North bank. he waxes lyrical over how good Russian pontoon bridges… Read more »
Matt, (First post has been sent to purgatory) Yeah, thats the geezer, Spike (Ex Artillery)sent the vid to me and asked for my thoughts. Jesus H Christ what a bluffer according to him: 1) Moscow using Paras have started a major offensive by making a major breakthrough at Donetsk in punching a hole in the Ukraine “Fortifications” which will end the war in the Ukraine. 2) Whilst the Ukraine is on its knees in the East, the Western media (mocks the British MOD) completely ignoring the Russian gains that by pushing the lie that the Ukraine are making a push… Read more »
Yep, what a pillock. Loads of this stuff going around. Well, whatever makes them happy.
That’s the sort of sad wanker the pathetic no mates echo chamber losers want to believe! But in war their will always be the weak brainless sheep being guided by the ones with the agenda, to include our own 5th type columnists and hard left nob jockies still dreaming about the USSR (to include young Labour clowns)!
Bravo. I’ve often mentioned the positions I read about regards “Young Labour” and, strangely, nobody on the Labour leaning side wants to dispute it!
I guess they loathe the Tories so much their own self loathing lunatics can be ignored. But worrying if that lot are the up and coming “Young Labour” Some of the positions of the LP membership are not much kop either. Anti NATO, Anti AUKUS, and so on.
Agreed, not so much young and stupid but just young and cluelessly stupid! Many will mature out of their unrealistic view of the world and the west, a few will not. Just a bunch of sad no marks who seem to have a rose tinted view of the old USSR! Typical intolerance from a group of leftist Nazis who don’t like free speech and the ability of people to challenge their sad views!
What’s a 5th type columnists? Not heard that term before.
Young labour I need to look up that. I take it they take normal labour to the left by about 3 miles.
I’m Scottish so Tory is a bad word 😂😂. I’m a floater, offer me something nice and I’m yours.
I looked up what a fifth columnist is.
A fifth column is any group of people who undermine a larger group from within, usually in favor of an enemy group or nation.
We have plenty of them in the UK it seems.
You must be very young if you had not heard the term fifth columnist!
I will always be young so long as the person I’m being compared to is older. I’d heard of ww2 stuff like lord hawhaw ( hope that’s the right name) doing fake news etc. Until Ukraine I’d never noticed people going so hard against the general direction of thought. I mean I do remember people saying Afghan is a mess, the British are struggling in south Iraq due to numbers etc, Iraq war is illegal, but there was normally a little bit of truth in the report somewhere and the reporting was never like what I’ve seen recently. Maybe it’s… Read more »
Not just in war. Pretty much the entire anti-vaxx/ plandemic/ 5G death masts conspiracy nutter brigade are supporting Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
And yet his “reporting” of Russia/Ukraine is unbiased and fact-packed in comparison to his “analysis” of China/USA.
I’m still trying to figure out if the war-provoking US carrier task force “steaming towards the Pacific” is the multi-nation RIMPAC exercise off Hawaii, or the Japan-based USS Ronald Reagan which has been in Singapore.
I don’t need to hear him, just looking at the godawful choice of wallpaper tells me he has no judgement whatsoever…
He doesn’t live in MK by any chance? 🤔
The guy seems to wear the same T-shirt for 3 days minimum from the video pictures. Must be as stinking as the decor. Everyone can have there opinion but when they share it they are open to criticism. Russian sources being his mistake. Most should know you can’t believe what they say. If they only lie about some things it takes away any credibility
Russian propaganda is so amateurish it’s insulting to the intelligence. It’s hilarious that anybody is stupid enough to believe any of it.
It’s war, so yes even Ukraine indulges in propaganda too. But official Ukranian reports are more believable because they will report losses and defeats as well as their advances and victories.
Russian reports never admit a single defeat, reverse or retreat. The best examples being the rout they suffered trying to take Kyiv, their retreat from Kharkiv, their evacuation of Snake Island, and the ‘accidental loss’ of the Mockva. Zero credibility.
Its Johnski from milton keynes. Ex armed forces but cant say accurately what unit he was in or when. Was it army? Was it RN? Was it RAF? Was it the KGB? Im thinking the later.
I know everyone loves K9 but isn’t it actually the same generation as a109 or As90 with brave heart? I don’t see why we can’t modernise as90 and wait for ERCA to mature.
Poles are using Braveheart turrets on their Krab – which uses a K9 chassis – so in theory our existing AS90s could be upgraded with the Braveheart turret. I suspect it all comes down to the tricky balance of upgrade versus replace. It’s a tricky decision as there’s cost, risk, timeline, and capability all to consider, and none of these will be constant during the evaluation either.
So this M109A7… I take it we (UK) have one or two of these?
Nope. It’s new.
No the U.K. had the M109A2/A3 but replaced them with the AS90 and sold them to Austria in ‘94.
The U.K. recently bought some M109A4 from Belgium but those were war supplies for Ukraine. As soon as they were all refurbished they were sent out.
I was watching a Forces TV report on self propelled artillery now being used by the Ukrainian Army. German Panzerhaubitze 2000 and French Caesar are being used very effectively. Both are much better than what we have remaining developed during the Cold War.
I find the British government’s failure to either upgrade our own or develop a new system another dereliction in its responsibility to the Armed Forces. The US is ordering +100 units of M109A, yet the AS-90 is out of date, out of service come 2030 and doesn’t have a replacement on the horizon.
What are they doing?
The UK never spends the money to update anything while it’s in service and then magically the kit is they like to say is completely open on date and too expensive to update so they unload it. Better to buy new they say and we have seen how that has turned out time and time again.
They have just released a video of a British supplied MRLS in action
Compared to the HIMARS, Ceaser & Panzerhaubitze, the MLRS looked painfully slow. It’s not going to survive very long if it doesn’t scoot fast enough from the scene of crime.
Do you know why there was only a half load-out? Never was a artillery man.
If the Russian artillery is as accurate as their cruise missiles, staying in the same place is probably the best way to not be hit by their precision-random shelling.
That’s bad ass. James Bond music. Great stuff. The west need to sending more kit. My view is the U.K. and allies should of already been starting production lines for Ukraine. Make stormers, MBT, artillery, shells and anything else that’s needed. Ukraine has the man power to beat the Russians it just needs enough kit. If it’s made in the country most of the cash stays in the country.
An interesting thing about Italian defence budget increase. Someone mentioned that the ministry of industry puts a few billion euros in to build Italian products
300 of these $1.9bn or£5m each.
Ajax £6.2bn for less than 600, none of which work.
The DE&S d1ckheads have a lot to answer for….
I think for me Archer for our Artillery ,although Cesar is up there wouldn’t like to do business with the French government .Never did understand why we replace our M109s with AS90s really don’t think we got much more for our money to be honest. 🤔
Slightly off topic. Why can’t we sell the design for the Challenger 3 to Poland and ask them to open a production line? Similar to the T26 business model.
We should buy M777 and HMARS as they are proving so effective against Russian forces.
Should never have fucked off the LIMAWS projected, it would have been brilliant. HIMARS and M777 but significantly better and via the same, Chinook liftable, base vehicle.
Numbers matter. Der Spiegel is reporting that the german PZH2000 are failing in Ukraine (not suprising since they are used 24/7). Since we only delivered 10 so far, they are in high use. Better to have more than needed.
“The M109A7 vehicle design includes a new chassis, engine, transmission, suspension, steering system, a new high voltage architecture, and improved survivability.” It sounds more like Triggers “original” broom, 15 handles and 24 heads. Pleased for them, but time to change the name so there isn’t the confusion for old gits like me, wondering why a 50 yr plus bit of kit is still in service, when realistically all the bits apart from the “jerry-cans” has been changed out at one time or another.
Surely SPGs should be wheeled? They would not need (or need as much) transporters and the expense/trouble of maintaining tracks? A lighter vehicle equals less running costs.
News just in… with impending defence cuts due after the latest UK prime minister enters No.10, it seems the Army may be getting masses of new, shorter range artillery.
New and exciting designs are ready to be forwarded to the MOD. These designs will transform the current theories on short range artillery, costing a fraction of the bae systems M109A7.
A spokesman for Trebuchet UK Ltd, was quoted as saying “this old, but reworked concept, will allow the UK to field more artillery units, at a fraction of the cost.