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| Specifications of the M109l Howitzer, The US Main Battle Tank That Was Once a Mainstay of NATO |
International Military - Talking about US main battle tanks, perhaps the most popular is the Abrams. However, there is another tank called the M109 Self-Propelled Howitzer (SPH), which was once a mainstay of NATO in the 1970s.
The M109l Howitzer has been in development since the 1950s. Until finally the battle tank made by BAE System began to enter service in 1963.
Quoted from Military Today, the M109 has a fairly simple design. The engine is located on the front right, while the driver sits on the front left. The tank can accommodate up to 6 crew members, consisting of commander, gunner, driver and three ammunition members.
US Battle Tank Specifications, M109l Howitzer
- Weight: 24.07 tons
- Length: 9.12 meters
- Hull Length: 6.19 meters
- Width: 3.15 meters
- Height : 3.28 meters
Named the M109l Howitzer, because this armored vehicle was armed with the M126 155 mm/L23 howitzer. The weapon, which has a maximum range of 14,600 meters, is equipped with 28 rounds of ammunition.
The artillery system of the US battle tank can fire up to 4 rounds per minute, although the continuous rate of fire is 2 rounds per minute. This howitzer has a service life of about 7,500 rounds. As for secondary armament, this tank has been equipped with an M2HB heavy machine gun with 500 rounds of 12.7 mm ammunition mounted on the roof of the turret.
Moving to the engine propulsion side, the M109l tank is powered by the Detroit Diesel Engine 8V71T which produces 450 horsepower and can reach a maximum speed of 65 kilometers per hour up to a maximum range of 390 km. For wading through water obstacles, this artillery system can be equipped with a float kit. The combat vehicle's maximum amphibious speed in water is 6.5 km/h.
From a defensive standpoint, the vehicle has aluminum armor welded all over the hull to protect against small arms fire. The M109 artillery system has been used in many countries and in many wars.
However, in recent years, the M109 has become a bit old-fashioned. Many countries have now switched to other options such as the British AS90 or the very advanced German PzH 2000. Even so, in April 2023 Italy had sent its M109 artillery to Ukraine to defend itself from the Russian invasion.