US Army awards $318 million services contract for M109A6 and A7 self-propelled howitzers

News, US March 29, 2024 , by IRIA No Comments

The U.S. Army has awarded BAE Systems a $318 million contract to perform technical and sustainment support services for its fleet of M109A6 and A7 Self-Propelled Howitzers (SPH) and M992A3 carrier, ammunition, tracked (CAT) vehicles.

Under the contract, BAE Systems would provide five-year support, including engineering and logistics services to the U.S. Army, and offer new capabilities, maintenance, and testing of the M109 family of vehicles.

The latest contract is a follow-up of the M109A7 production contract which was awarded to the company in November last year.

Director of ground vehicle production for BAE Systems’ Combat Mission Systems, Dan Furber said, “The M109 Self-Propelled Howitzer continues to prove itself as the ‘King of Battle’ as it provides the firepower and maneuverability to dominate the battlefield.” He added, “Sustainment services for the M109 allow the U.S. Army to maintain a high level of operational readiness to take this powerful capability to the fight.”

BAE Systems M109 family of vehicles serves as the primary indirect fire support system for the U.S. Army Armored Brigade Combat Team (ABCT).

According to BAE Systems, the M109A7 is the latest howitzer in the M109 family of vehicles and aims to solve “long-term readiness and modernization needs of the M109 family of vehicles through a critical redesign and production plan that leverages the most advanced technology”.

*^{The M109A7 howitzer from the BAE Systems M109 family of vehicles. (Image Credit BAE Systems)}*

The statement highlighted that the M109A7 uses “the existing main armament and cab structure of a Paladin M109A6, and replaces the vehicle’s chassis components with modem components common to the Bradley vehicle.”

“The improved chassis structure provides greater survivability and commonality with the existing systems in the ABCT, reducing operational sustainability costs by replacing obsolete components,” it added.

BAE Systems’ latest AMPV

Separately on March 26, BAE Systems unveiled its latest Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV) prototype at the Association of the United States Army’s (AUSA) Global Force Symposium & Exposition 2024.

The company exhibited its future-driven AMPV prototype configured with the External Mission Equipment Package (ExMEP), which marked the third successful capability combination by BAE Systems in the last six months.

According to the press release, “The AMPV’s ExMEP is capable of adapting to more than 30 turret systems and builds on the vehicles modular approach enabling the rapid integration of new mission roles into the AMPV family of vehicles. The latest prototype features Elbit America’s UT30, a 30mm unmanned turret.”

Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle prototype — *^{Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV) prototype at the 2024 AUSA Global Force Symposium. (Image Credit: BAE Systems)}*

The latest prototype of AMPV demonstrates the ExMEP capabilities as well as the options it provides for rapid integration of next-generation technology onto an already-proven hull. “The purpose-built platform exemplifies many opportunities for future capability configurations for the Army and its allies,” the statement added.