The M109 is an American self-propelled artillery unit, a class of self-propelled howitzers that has become the most common in the world. М109 was created in 1953-1960. to replace the unsuccessful M44 ACS, in parallel with the 105 mm M108. Serially produced in the United States. In the period from 1962 to 2003, it was modernized several times. In the 1990s, it was produced under license in South Korea. In total, 9205 self-propelled guns of all modifications were produced during this time. Quite quickly, it became the standard self-propelled artillery installation of the US troops, displacing not only the older models, but also the M108. The first combat use of the M109 was during the Vietnam War and was subsequently used in virtually all military conflicts involving the United States. In addition to the United States, it has become the standard self-propelled gun of NATO countries.
In the mid-1950s, self-propelled artillery systems took a firm place in US field artillery. However, the participation of the United States in numerous military conflicts unleashed around the world and the appearance of nuclear weapons from the socialist countries caused new requirements for the ACS. For a quick transfer of self-propelled guns to anywhere in the world by air, they had to have a small weight and dimensions. To protect the crew of the ACS from the damaging factors of nuclear weapons, the booking of vehicles had to be complete. In addition, they were equipped with filtering and ventilation units. In the list of requirements, not the last place was occupied by good cross-country ability due to the use of specials. landing gear, overcoming water obstacles by swimming and increasing the horizontal firing sector by using a rotating turret. During this period, the US Army was armed with the 105mm M52 self-propelled guns and 155mm M44 self-propelled guns, created on the basis of the M41 tank. Self-propelled artillery mounts did not meet the new requirements and had some drawbacks, the main ones of which were: a limited angle of fire, high weight and an insignificant range.
To eliminate the disadvantages inherent in the M44 and M52, in 1952 they began to create the T195 self-propelled howitzer of 110 mm caliber. It was decided to use the gun turret and the T195 hull as the basis for a self-propelled gun equipped with a 156 mm howitzer. The project of the new howitzer was presented in August 1954, however, it was not approved by the customer. In 1956, for unification within NATO, it was decided to stick to the 155 mm caliber, and in 1959 the first prototype was completed, which was given the designation T196. ACS T196 was sent to Fort Knox for military trials.
Based on the results of these tests, it was decided that all American armored vehicles would be equipped with diesel engines to increase the operating range. In addition, a number of changes were made to the design of the hull, turret and chassis. Taking into account the new equipment, the model was assigned the designation T196E1. In 1961, it was adopted as the M109 SP howitzer. The first production vehicles were produced at the end of 1962 at the Cleveland Army Tank Plant under the leadership of the Cadillac Motor Car Division, later Chrysler. In total, about 2,500 guns were built at the Chrysler plant. In the 1970s, production of the M109 family was taken over by Bowen McLaughlin-York (today United Defense).
The hull and turret of the M109 self-propelled guns are made of rolled aluminum armor, which provides protection from fragments of field artillery shells, small arms fire and light radiation from a nuclear explosion. The stern and sides of the hull were installed vertically, and the upper frontal plate at a significant angle. The roof of the hull is horizontal. At the stern of the self-propelled gun, a closed tower of circular rotation was installed, having an almost semicircular frontal sheet. In the sides of the tower, rectangular hatches opening back are made.
The self-propelled howitzer M109 adopted an arrangement with a front-mounted engine-transmission group. The aft hull housed a circular rotation tower with a 155-mm howitzer. The driver's seat is located in front of the self-propelled gun on the left, the engine compartment is on the right. The tower is located at the back. Self-propelled howitzer M109 suspension rod. There are 7 rollers on each side, a guide drum at the rear and a transport drum at the front. There are no return rollers. The standard equipment includes infrared driving lights, as well as amphibious equipment, which makes it possible to independently move the self-propelled guns through slowly flowing rivers. In the stern there was a two-piece hatch for loading ammunition. Crew entry / exit was carried out through hatches in the rear of the tower and side walls, as well as through hatches in the roof of the tower.
Detroit Diesel 8V-T71 diesel engine.
The crew of the M109 self-propelled howitzer consists of six people: a driver, gun commander, gunner and his assistant, as well as two crew numbers.
The main gun is a 155 mm M126 howitzer with a 23 caliber barrel. The gun is mounted on an M127 machine equipped with a muzzle brake and an ejector. The vertical guidance angle is -3 … + 75 degrees, horizontal - 360 degrees. The howitzer is equipped with hydropneumatic recoil devices. The main guidance drive is hydraulic, the auxiliary drive is manual. The gun has a large exhaust device, a muzzle brake and a welm bolt. Propelling charges and capsule tubes are supplied manually. The latter are inserted into the shutter after a projectile with a propelling charge has already been placed in the charging chamber. The maximum rate of fire is 6 rounds per minute. Secondary armament - 12.7mm M2HB machine gun mounted above the commander's hatch in the turret on the right. Machine gun ammunition - 500 rounds.
The following ammunition is used for the M109 self-propelled howitzer: M712 Copperhead (guided projectile), M107 and M795 (high-explosive fragmentation projectiles), M718 / M741, M692, M483A1 and M449A1 (cluster projectiles), M549 (high-explosive fragmentation projectiles)), M485 and M818 (lighting projectiles), M825 (smoke projectile), M804 (practical projectile). Transportable ammunition - 28 rounds.
ACS M109 is equipped with three M45 periscopes, M27 periscope, M118C telescopic sight with x4 magnification, panoramic M117 telescopic sight with x4 magnification and artillery quadrants M1A1 and M15. Night vision devices are also available for driving at night. Some vehicles are equipped with a system of protection against weapons of mass destruction.
The self-propelled howitzer M109 can overcome water obstacles by swimming: the self-propelled gun is kept on the water using a special set of floating equipment, which consists of 3 wave-reflecting shields and 6 inflatable rubberized containers. Movement on the water is carried out by rewinding the tracks. ACS M109 is capable of firing from the water, but only to produce a "noise effect" since horizontal guidance fails, and guidance by turning on the move leads to loss of accuracy.
One of the reasons for the longevity of the M109 self-propelled howitzer is that the base chassis of the vehicle lends itself to modernization and easily "accepts" long-barreled artillery with a longer firing range.
The M109 ACS family includes the following modifications:
M109A1 - entered service in 1973. The main difference from the base model is the increased barrel length, reinforced suspension and improved guidance drives. It is possible to use M864 cluster shells with a bottom gas generator.
M109A2 - adopted in 1979. The design of recoil devices and rammer has been changed. Ammunition increased by 22 shots.
The M109A3 is an upgraded version of the M109A1. The gun mount has been replaced. It has an improved driver's dashboard, a system for removing air from the fuel system, a system for monitoring the state of the ammunition rack, recoil brake, knurler and torsion shafts. The maximum firing range of an active-rocket projectile has been increased to 24 km, and a high-explosive fragmentation projectile - up to 18 km.
The M109A4 modification is equipped with a system of protection against weapons of mass destruction. Some changes have been made to the power plant, the horizontal guidance mechanisms have been improved.
M109A5 - equipped with the M284 gun with a barrel length of 39 calibers on the M182 machine. The maximum firing range is 30 km. At the request of the customer, it is possible to install an automated fire control system and a GPS system.
M109A6 "Paladin" (Paladin) - the modification was developed as part of the HIP program. It was put into service in 1992. A new turret has been installed with improved armor protection and Kevlar lining. The M284 cannon is mounted on the M182A1 machine. Replaced radio station.
ACS M109A6 is equipped with a fire control system, navigation system and an onboard ballistic computer providing automatic gun guidance. there is a receiver for the NAVSTAR space radio navigation system.
In 1983, a modernized version of the M109A3G was developed in Germany. Production started in 1985. Has a new gun with a barrel from the FH70 "Rheinmetall" howitzer. It features more advanced recoil devices, a wedge gate and an enhanced warhead introduced into the ammunition load (which made it possible to increase the firing range up to 18 km, and the rate of fire up to 6 shots). By changing the stowage of ammunition, the number of shots increased to 34 pieces. Also, new West German observation devices, sights, tracks, communications equipment, smoke grenade launchers and an MG.3 anti-aircraft machine gun of 7.62 mm caliber were installed on the vehicle.
The modernization M109A3GN was developed in 1988 and produced for the Norwegian army in 1988-1990. New barrels of the Rheinmetall company were installed, which made it possible to increase the firing range.
The M109L is a modernized version of the self-propelled howitzer produced in Italy.
The M109A6 PIM is an upgraded version of the M109A6 Paladin. The main goal of the modernization was to extend the service life of the ACS by 30-40 years.
M109A6 and increasing their combat characteristics. The upgraded self-propelled howitzer has a digital fire control system and an improved semi-automatic loading system. In addition, the hydraulic control systems of the tool were replaced by electric drives. The base chassis replaced the improved M2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicle with transmission and suspension elements. The Detroit Diesel 440 hp diesel engine is replaced by the M2 Bradley BMP engine (600 hp Cummins V903). The US military is planning to upgrade to the PIM 580 M109A6 modification from the 975.
The M109 self-propelled howitzer arrives in the US Army in the amount of 54 pieces. per one mechanized or tank division (3 divisions with 18 self-propelled guns, in a division - 3 batteries with 6 vehicles each). In addition to the Marines and the US Army, M109 self-propelled guns were supplied to Austria (189 vehicles of modifications M109A2, M109A3, M109A5Ö - as of 2007), Belgium (24 M109 ACS), Brazil (37 M109A3), Germany (499 M109A3G), Greece (197 M109A1B, M109A2, M109A3GEA1, M109A5), Denmark (76 M109A3DK), Egypt (367 M109A2, M109A2, M109A3), Israel (350 M109A1), Jordan (253 M109A1, M109 MA109), M109 (Spain) M109A5), Italy (260 M109G, M109L), Republic of Korea (1040 M109A2), Kuwait (23 M109), Libya (14 M109), Morocco (44 M109A1, M109A1B), Netherlands (120 M109A3), Norway (126 M109A3GN), United Arab Emirates (85 M109A3), Pakistan (200 M109A2), Peru (12 M109A2), Portugal (20 M109A2, M109A5), Saudi Arabia (110 M109A1B, M109A2), Thailand (20 M109A2), Republic of China, 225 M109A5) Switzerland (224 M109U).
The M109 self-propelled howitzer has been used in many conflicts in the Middle East (used by Israel and Iran) and the Far East (by the United States in Kampuchea and Vietnam).
Tactical and technical characteristics:
Combat weight - 23, 8 tons;
Body length - 6114 mm;
Length with gun forward - 6614 mm;
Case width - 3150 mm;
Height - 3279 mm;
Clearance - 450 mm;
Crew - 4-6 people (depending on modification);
Armor type - rolled aluminum
Body forehead (top) - 32 mm / 75 °;
Body forehead (middle) - 32 mm / 19 °;
Body forehead (bottom) - 32 mm / 60 °;
Side and rear of the hull - 32 mm / 0 °;
Bottom - 32 mm;
Hull roof - 32 mm;
The forehead and side of the tower - 32 mm / 22 °;
Tower feed - 32 mm / 0 °;
Tower roof - 32 mm;
Cannon type - howitzer;
The brand and caliber of the gun - M126, 155 mm;
Barrel length - 23, 4 calibers;
Gun ammunition - 28 rounds;
Angles of vertical guidance - from −3 to +75 degrees;
Firing range - 19, 3 km (with an active-rocket projectile);
Sights - M42 (periscope), M118C (telescopic), M117 (panoramic periscope);
Machine gun - M2HB caliber 12, 7 mm;
Engine - diesel, V-shaped, 8-cylinder, liquid-cooled;
Engine power - 405 hp. with.;
Highway speed - 56 km / h;
In store down the highway - 350 km;
Specific power - 15, 5 liters. s / t;
Specific ground pressure - 0.78 kg / cm²;
The overcome rise - 30 degrees;
The overcome wall - 0.55 m;
The overcome ditch - 1.85 m;
Overcome ford - 1, 05 m, swims with additional equipment.
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