Armed Forces News

The Army soon will resume testing on the M109A7 self-propelled howitzer and the adjunct M992A3 resupply vehicle. The service unveiled plans for getting the program underway at the Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA) annual exposition in Washington, D.C., earlier this month.
The Army had begun initial tests on the howitzer and vehicle in October 2016, but they were suspended amid safety concerns. Unit maintainers will be trained first, followed by mechanics and then the operator NET for crews, Col. Jim Schirmer, the Project Manager for Armored Fighting Vehicles, told a panel at the AUSA exposition.

The training is taking place at Fort Riley, Kan., and should continue through the end of the year. Once the training phase is complete, the howitzer and vehicle will undergo a pilot test to ensure that data collection, instrumentation and other systems are ready.

With the resumption of the program, the Army has prepared new manuals and upgraded the cannon breech and other components.