![]() We had to load the 100-pound howitzer shells by hand and this task got old very quickly. The Russians are already displaying prowess in Ukraine at electronic warfare that can make artillery go off course.īefore I branched Infantry, I was on the Paladin when I simultaneously served in Field Artillery as an Army ROTC officer cadet. This step is potentially problematic because the Russians excel in ground-based electronic warfare and it is within the realm of possibility that the Paladin could have its system jammed in a fight with Russia. In fact, the first thing the commander does is sync the system’s clock to GPS. Powerful computers are inside the gun and the system is GPS dependent. Once a Paladin moves to a new position, it can fire again within 60 seconds. ![]() The rate of fire is impressive – as fast as eight rounds a minute maximum. The Paladin can engage a target at least 14 miles away and upwards of 19 miles with certain assisted rounds. The idea is to “shoot and scoot” – fire some rounds and then move to a new position – to keep the enemy guessing.įiring a shell with its huge 155mm M284 cannon makes a deafening noise. The Paladin can move on its own on two tracks. There are four crew members – a commander, driver, loader, and gunner. ![]() Israel and South Korea use them, as well as Kuwait and Taiwan. It was not used much during the war on terror, but in a potential conventional war with revisionist powers like Russia and China, the M109A7 Paladin will be one of the most important weapon systems on the battlefield. The Army calls it a self-propelled howitzer and it fires a huge 100-pound 155mm shell. But do not make that mistake, because it’s really a mobile field artillery cannon with a long tube. Some civilians call it a tank because it is a mechanized tracked vehicle. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |