HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — BAE Systems next week is delivering the first of its production vehicle marking the start of the production line for the Army's upgraded M109A7 Paladin self-propelled howitzers program at its York, Pennsylvania, facility.
Delivery will be in Elgin, Oklahoma. The vehicles are built at BAE's York, Pennsylvania, facility, and final assembly is in Elgin.
Under the Paladin Integrated Management (PIM) program, BAE will field sets of vehicles as part of low-rate initial production: the M109A7 and companion tracked ammunition carrier, the M992A2. The LRIP order covers 65 sets, and the Army is expected to acquire between 550 and 580.
The PIM is the successor to the legacy M109A6 155mm howitzer, and continues to use the same gun as the older artillery piece. But from the bearing ring on down, the PIM is essentially a new weapon system, one that comes with digital displays and a 70 kilowatt, 600-volt on-board power system.
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BAE also has built in commonality with the Army's Bradley fighting vehicle, and Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV), something the Britain-based company said will help cut down costs. Those are three of the four vehicles in the Armored Brigade Combat TeamVehicle.
"You could take a driver out of a Bradley, drop him in a PIM, and he'd be just as at home, whereas before it was a completely different vehicle," said Mark Signorelli, BAE's vice president of combat vehicles.
Signorelli touted the electrical systems in the vehicle, including an electric rammer that helps load the projectile. Although AMPV had a lesser power requirement, he said, the PIM's power plant demonstrates what is possible.
Email: jgould@defensenews.com
Twitter: @reporterjoe
Joe Gould was the senior Pentagon reporter for Defense News, covering the intersection of national security policy, politics and the defense industry. He had previously served as Congress reporter.
