FReeper Canteen~Military Vehicles~May 11, 2006

Various Internet Sites

[AZamericonnie]

MILITARY VEHICLES

M109A6 Paladin Self Propelled Howitzer

The M109 is an American self-propelled 155 mm howitzer, first introduced in the early 1960s. Continually upgraded and improved, to today's current version the M109A6 "Paladin", it is still the primary indirect-fire support weapon of maneuver brigades of armored and mechanized infantry divisions of the US Army, Israel Defense Forces, the Italian Army, and many other militaries, including the Norwegian, Swiss, Danish, Pakistani,Dutch and Austrian armies. ****

Army Spc. Frank Guerra prepares to fire rounds from a M109A6 Paladin artillery vehicle as part of a counter fire mission against insurgents near the town of Falluja, Iraq, on Nov. 5, 2004. Guerra is assigned to Alpha 382nd, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry. DoD photo by Senior Airman Christopher A. Marasky, U.S. Air Force. (Released)



Paladin M109A6 is a cannon artillery system developed by the Ground System Division of United Defense LP (now BAE Systems Land and Armaments) and manufactured at the Paladin Production Operation centre at Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. Paladin was first fielded in 1994 and is operational with the United States Army and the Israeli Army, and has been selected by the Kuwait and Taiwan. In June 1999, the US Army received the last of 950 Paladin M109A6 ordered. Seven systems were ordered in July 2000 for the US Army National Guard and a further 18 systems in January 2002.

Paladin was used in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in March / April 2003 and in continuing operations in Iraq, including Operation Al Fajr in Fallujah in November 2004.

BAE Systems Land and Armaments is supplying 219 modification kits for US Army Paladins which will enable the use of the Modular Artillery Charge System (MACS) and the 155mm precision-guided extended-range XM92 Excalibur projectile being developed by Raytheon and Bofors Defense of Sweden (a United Defense subsidiary). Deliveries began in 2005.




(Exerpt) The eardrum shattering report of the Paladin rings out as the battery runs through one such registration fire mission. Spc. Ellery Villalobos, the ammunition team chief, stands a distance away from the vehicle, a red propellant bag slung over his shoulder. He waits. The look of excitement and shear joy mix on his face with the dirt and grime that flies back with each round expelled. BOOOOOM fires the gun and Villalobos is sprinting towards it with a new round to load up.

“HOOOOOAH!,” he shouts as he sprints back throwing another propellant charge over his shoulder in anticipation. “This is what being artillery is all about! COME ON GUYS! LET’S GO! GET THAT ROUND DOWN RANGE!”


The M284 cannon which is fitted with an M182 gun mount, has a range of 24 km using unassisted rounds or 30 km using assisted rounds.




Big gun go boom!

Model Type: GAW M109A6 "Paladin"
Vehicle Type: Self Propelled Howitzer
Crew: Four (Driver, Gunner, Loader, and Commander).

M.D.C. by Location: [1] Tractor Treads (2): 45 each
Howitzer Turret: 140
Howitzer Barrel: 70
12.7 mm Machine Gun (right side of turret): 20
[2] Main Body: 280

Notes:
[1] Depleting the M.D.C. of a tread will immobilize the Howitzer until it is replaced. Replacing a tread will take 1D6x10 minutes by a trained crew (2 replacements are carried on board) or three times as long by the inexperienced. Changing the tread is only advisable when the vehicle is not under attack. [2] If all the M.D.C. of the main body is depleted, the vehicle is completely shut down and is unsalvageable.

Speed:
Ground: Cruising speed on land is 35 mph (56.3 kph) on roads and 30 mph (48.3 kph) off road maximum. The vehicle is designed to traverse virtually all terrain and can climb at up to a 60% grade although at a much slower speed (About 10% of maximum road speed). It can also climb barriers and ford trenches. The vehicle can also handle side slopes of up to 30%. Maximum Range: 213.7 miles (344 km)

Statistical Data:
Height: 9.2 feet (2.8 meters) without machine mount and 10.6
feet (3.236 meters) including machine gun mount
Width: 10.3 feet (3.15 meters)
Length: 20.3 feet (6.19 meters) for main body and 32.2 feet (9.8 meters) with gun forward:
Weight: 26 tons (23.6 metric tons) empty and 31.7 tons (28.74 metric tons) combat loaded
Power Source: Diesel Engine (Detroit Diesel Model 8V-71T developing 440 horsepower).
Cargo Capacity: Minimal, enough for equipment with crew Black Market Cost: 175,000 Credits. If fitted, any extra weapons systems will add to the cost of the Howitzer.






~Tribute To Our Troops~

[tomkow6]

 

.....this post is NOT for Princess Potty Mouth Fawnn...(I'm not talking to her)...it's for her poor, sweet Mother

 

Good Morning, Fawnn's Mom!

 

[tomkow6]

Happy Birthday, Es!

[tomkow6]

 

Happy Birthday,

 EHCSouthernPride!

[Fawnn]

tomkow is 1 game closer to a BATH!!!

[Fawnn]

EsmeraldaA!!!

[Fawnn]

EHC Southern Pride!!!

[MEG33]

May 4, 2006 Soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division advance along an orchard near Rushdie Mula, Iraq, in search of terrorists during Operation Desert Scorpion. This photo appeared on www.army.mil.

Thank You
To All Who Serve Our Country

Good Morning To The Canteen

[tomkow6]

Morning, Meg!

[StarCMC]

Unfortunately the wrong track number was entered into the CD player, and the family found themselves walking in to, "Return to Sender."

Bad bad bad! LOL

[Arrowhead1952]

The temps sure felt good this AM. Yesterday, it was 78 at 5 AM and today it's 20 degrees cooler. Very nice.

I FReep from home in the evenings and weekends when I get time and before work. Work has been hectic, so FR has been put on the back burner.

[MEG33]

Good morning, tomkow!

[MEG33]

Good morning, Arrowhead!

[StarCMC]

Man it's good to see ya!! I'll be glad when stuff slows down enough for you to be back! *HUGS!*

[StarCMC]

Good morning MEG -- thank you for your beautiful graphics. *HUGS!*

[beachn4fun]

Good morning, Everyone. Good morning to our

Military, our Allies, and their families. THANK YOU.

Thank you, Connie, for preparing the Canteen for today’s activities. Tanks are nice.....lots of fire power....and takes a lot to push them around!

DC Metroland weather report. Today, cloudy and rainy. A little cooler than yesterday. Yesterday.......was one be-u-ti-ful spring day.

Sorry, I'm late again, but I got waylaid checking out the pictures of Luvy and gang shooting guns. Looks like they had so much fun.

This Day In History.

May 11

1989 -- France performs nuclear test at Muruora Island

1989 -- President Bush orders nearly 2,000 troops to Panama

1987 -- Corazon Aquino is elected president in the Philippines

1978 -- Margaret A Brewer is 1st female general in the US Marine Corps

1972 -- US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site

1965 -- USSR performs nuclear test at Eastern Kazakh/Semipalitinsk USSR

1962 -- US sends troops to Thailand

1960 -- Israeli soldiers capture Adolf Eichmann in Buenos Aires

1945 -- US marines conquer Awatsha Draw Okinawa

1943 -- US 7th div lands on Attu, Aleutian, (1st US territory recaptured)

1943 -- Hermann Goering-division in Tunisia surrenders

1942 -- Japanese troops conquer Kalewa

1865 -- Jeff Thompson surrenders

1864 -- Gen J E B Stuart is mortally wounded at Yellow Tavern

1864 -- Battle of Yellow Tavern, VA (Sheridan's Raid, South Anna Bridge)

1862 -- Confederates scuttle CSS Virginia off Norfolk, VA

1858 -- Minnesota admitted as 32nd US state

1814 -- Americans defeat British at Battle of Plattsburgh

1502 -- Columbus begins 4th & last trip to "Indies"

To all newbies and lurkers

Time for me to make my rounds. But, you stay right where you are. Don't touch that dial. Don't change that channel. Put down that remote. Don't leave the room. Keep your eyes on your monitor. Cause...............I'll be bock!

Now remember, the Canteen is

So, come on in and sit for a while. There's always plenty of coffee, pancakes, conversation, silliness, and plain old BS

REMEMBER THEM

DEFENDERS OF FREEDOM

FR CANTEEN MISSION STATEMENT

Showing support and boosting the morale of our military and

our allied military and the family members of the above.

Honoring those who have served before.

[Arrowhead1952]

Good morning to both of you. I have a few minutes and then it's back to work. This is our busy time of the year, as all the units are getting ready for their annual training events.

[MEG33]

You are welcome. Thank you for all you do for our troops.
{{{HUGS!}}}

[StarCMC]

Ah!! Fun fun!! Thanks for everything you do ~ you are appreciated, too, y'know?

[MEG33]

I miss seeing you! I finally got the hang of posting graphics!

[txradioguy]

Morning everybody!