Pentagon awards BAE systems $579.3 million contract for howitzers

The US Department of Defence has granted BAE Systems a $579.3-million contract to supply the US Army with M109A7 howitzers and M992A3 field artillery support vehicles.

Both systems are based on the chassis of the 155-millimeter turreted self-propelled artillery vehicle, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

BAE's Land and Armaments division will execute the project at facilities in Pennsylvania, Michigan, South Carolina, Oklahoma, and Alabama, with completion expected by January 2029.

This contract follows a $318-million agreement in April for technical and maintenance support of the US Army's M109A6 and M109A7 howitzers, covering engineering and logistics for the fleet and its M992A3 counterparts.

In January, BAE signed a $418-million contract for producing M109A7s and M992A3s, and in February 2023, the company received $466 million for similar supplies.

The M109A7, also known as the Paladin, is 9.7 meters long, weighs 38,100 kilograms, and is operated by four personnel. It is powered by a 675-horsepower engine and has a 549-liter fuel tank, reaching speeds up to 61 kilometers per hour and a range of up to 300 kilometers. It can be equipped with various cannons, an automatic fire extinguishing system, and a Common Remotely Operated Weapons System (CROWS).

The M992A3, designed for ammunition support, is 6.6 meters long, powered by a 440-horsepower engine, and operated by four soldiers. It can reach speeds up to 65 kilometers per hour with a range of 354 kilometers.

Though primarily a support vehicle, it can be armed with a Browning machine gun and grenade launcher and fitted with armor. The M992A3 can store approximately 95 conventional rounds and several M712 Copperhead 155-millimeter anti-tank guided projectiles.