The 155-mm M109 series, Self-propelled medium howitzers are highly mobile combat support weapons. They have a cruising range of 350 km at speeds up to 56 kph. Combat loaded, The M109 series weighs 27.5 tons. The 155-mm projectile weights 45 kg.
The M109 series howitzer is a vehicle that provides armored combat support, is air transportable, internally loaded, and has excellent ground mobility. It allows firing in a 360 degree circle through its primary armament, the 155mm cannon assembly, and its secondary armament, the M2 heavy barrel caliber 50 machine gun. The system is capable of both direct (line of sight) and indirect (out of the line of sight) firing.
The M109 has a crew of seven, consisting of commander, gunner, three ammunition members and the driver. The hull is made of all-welded aluminium armour. The driver is at the front of the hull on the left, the engine is to his right and the turret is at the rear. The driver has a single-piece hatch cover that opens to the left, with three M45 periscopes in front that can be covered by small metal flaps to prevent damage. The commander is seated on the right side of the turret and has a cupola that can be traversed through 360°, a single-piece hatch cover that opens to the rear and an M27 periscope. Pintle mounted on the forward part of the commander's cupola is a 12.7mm or 7.62mm. The gunner is seated on the left side of the turret and has a square single-piece hatch cover that opens to the right.
The all-welded aluminium armour turret at the rear of the hull has a square hatch in each side that opens to the rear, and twin doors in the turret rear. Twin doors are provided at the rear of the turret for ammunition resupply. Mounted at the rear of the hull, each side of the hull door, is a large spade which is lowered manually to the ground before firing.
The Detroit Diesel engine is coupled to an Allison Transmission XTG-411-4A cross-drive transmission which is at the front of the hull. The torsion bar suspension consists of seven dual rubber-tyred roadwheels with the drive sprocket at the front and the idler at the rear. There are no track-return rollers. The tracks are of the single-pin, centre guide type with replaceable rubber pads.
The M109 is fitted with night vision equipment but did not have an NBC system prior to the introduction of the Doher. The basic vehicle can ford to a depth of 1.828 m without preparation. It can be fitted with an amphibious kit consisting of nine air bags, four each side of the hull and one at the front. The bags, which are not carried on the vehicle as part of its normal equipment, are inflated from the vehicle and it can then propel itself across rivers by its tracks at 6.43 kph. |
