M109G 155MM/L23 Howitzer
The M109 is a 155mm caliber self-propelled howitzer of American origin. The Panzer Artillery has NO tanks, of course, but armored guns on self-propelled guns - which simply look like tanks to laypeople, even if they are made of aluminum alloy. The body of the machine was made by welding from sheets of aluminum armor, which protected the crew from the light radiation of a nuclear explosion, shell fragments and fire from small-caliber weapons. Replaced by the cutting-edge PzH 2000 in 2007, the Bundeswehr's very own M109 gave over 40 years of service in its different guises.
Their development began during the Cold War in the 1950s. Since 1962 it became the standard NATO self-propelled howitzer. The M109 was also used by the army until it was replaced by the Panzerhaubitze 2000 in 2007. The M109 was first introduced in the early 1960s to replace the M44. In the period from 1964 to 1972, a total of 586 American self-propelled howitzers were converted to the M109G by Rheinmetall for the German Army. The conversion affected the entire weapon system with the barrel, the smoke extractor, a two-chamber muzzle brake and a flat breech as well as other modifications such as the German panoramic telescope, a tank telescopic sight and the smoke grenade system.
Since its establishment in 1955 the Bundeswehr had extensively deployed US hardware, such as self-propelled guns like the M7 Priest, M52, M44 and from 1964 the M109, a 405hp V8 diesel powered model with aluminum alloy hull that achieved a handy 56km/h. From 1961, the Bundeswehr procured the medium-sized American 155mm self-propelled howitzer, type M109, at a unit price of around half a million marks. The chassis and hull were derived directly from the M113, also built by FCM. The self-propelled gun was largely made of light metal.
The first of the 586 medium self-propelled howitzers delivered to the Bundeswehr still corresponded to the American M109A1 and M109A2 armaments. The Germanization to the German version M109G took place from 1965. The Bundeswehr renamed them M109G and fitted new tracks, fire control system, muzzle brake and breech. The Thyssen L/20 155mm gun had a range of 18.5km, longer than the standard M109. Smoke dischargers were added to the rotating turret's front and storage boxes to its rear, and the commander cupola gained a 7.62mm MG3 machine gun. The conversion particularly affected the barrel breech and the muzzle brake, the aiming and aiming equipment. In addition, a secondary gun system was retrofitted and a German diesel engine was installed.
The M109G version of the 24.4 ton self-propelled howitzer (combat weight) was the standard weapon of the army's armored artillery units until the late 1990s. Each armored artillery battalion had 18 vehicles. With the short tube there were problems with the hydraulics from a certain number of shots The G in M109G stands for "Germany" or "German Version". US versions were usually always called M109A(1 to 7)"Paladin".
The long-serving M109G had a major upgrade between 1986 and 1990, necessitated by NATO concerns over Warsaw Pact numerical superiority, and the shelving of a mooted successor, the SP70, that had been developed in tandem with other member states like the UK and Italy. The expiring supply of spare parts made it necessary to increase the system's performance from the early 1980s.
Denoted M109A3G, converted vehicles had a Rheinmetall L/39 155mm FH70 (FH155-1) gun with a 24.7km range. At the same time, the fire control system was overhauled and a ballistic cover added to the turret panoramic sight. The package developed by Rheinmetall pursued the alignment with the American M109A3 armament stand and saw, among other things, the installation of the longer Rheinmetall AG barrel of the 155mm field howitzer, the redesign of the projectile/propellant charge frame (increase in the combat load from 28 to 34 rounds) and integration into the artillery battery fire control system (IFAB) before. With the longer FH-70 tube, the effective shot range could be increased by 30% from around 18,500m to around 24,000m. The conversion took place in the army repair workshop in St. Wendel. The version then designated as M109A3G had a range of 18km.
Some vehicles received further alterations, such as the M109A3G EA1, which was fitted with the IFAB fire control system and an auxiliary power unit, and had the rear spades removed. The M109A3GEA2 also had hull rear shell racks and loading trays removed. The M109A3GEA1 self-propelled howitzer is primarily used to combat point and area targets using indirect aiming methods. In addition, armored and moving targets can also be effectively combated using the direct aiming method. The integrated Autonomous Directional and Orientation Equipment for Barrel Artillery (AURORA) enables the gunner to determine the location of his howitzer himself, to determine the direction for setting up the gun and to follow the current route at any time on a map device. As a result, the rapid production of the readiness for action is achieved.
With the introduction of the Panzerhaubitze 2000, the M109 should be retired. However, since the procurement of the PzH 2000 had to be reduced to 185 units, it was decided to extend the useful life (NDV) of the 262 PzH in stock until 2015. At the same time, it was decided to upgrade all existing M109s to the M109A3GEA2 standard in order to adapt them to changing requirements and operational principles and to reduce the physical strain on the crew.
Technical improvements related to the service life extension of the M109 self-propelled howitzer include a complete redesign of the ammunition stowage system and the introduction of suitable ammunition transport and shell loading aids. 24 ignited projectiles are stowed in the drawer magazine in the rear of the turret. Each projectile is on a separate drawer that can be easily pulled out of the magazine by a gunner. 10 ignited projectiles are stowed upright in new holders to the right and left of the former in the rear of the hull. All inserted projectiles can be magazined and transported. Within the combat area of the M109, the ignited projectiles are moved with the help of an electrically powered lifting aid, which offers almost complete weight relief.
All propellant charges are stowed in vehicle-mounted containers in the turret and in the hull. The newly introduced modular propellant charges (MTLS) from Rheinmetall DeTec as well as the conventional propellant charges that are currently being phased out can also be carried in these transport containers. The M109 self-propelled howitzer carries a total of 170 MTLS modules or 34 L 10A1 (DM 52) propellant charges in vehicle-mounted containers.
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