The Americans solemnly "christened" their promising self-propelled gun, created on the basis of the Paladin M109A7. Yesterday, September 19, the portal defence-blog.com He reported that the howitzer being developed as part of the Extended Range Cannon Artillery (ERCA) project was named "Iron Thunder" (Iron Thunder).
During a ceremony held at the Picatinny Arsenal Military Base, the 4th Battalion of the 27th Field Artillery Regiment was awarded the status of an operational test unit for the latest Iron Thunder system. It is planned that testing of new self-propelled guns with elongated barrels will last until 2023.
The official name of the M109 self-propelled gun with an elongated barrel is Iron Thunder
Image source: defence-blog.com
As part of the ERCA program, extended-range artillery systems are being developed for the US Armed Forces. Thus, due to the lengthening of the barrel and the use of new active-rocket projectiles, it was possible to achieve the destruction of targets at a distance of 70 km.
An experienced M109A8 self-propelled gun with a 58-caliber barrel (in the background).
Image source: twitter.com/SecArmy
ERCA is a comprehensive program of the American army, within the framework of which a deep modernization of the artillery in service is carried out, as well as the development of new ammunition. Earlier, as part of the Long Range Cannon program, the US army developed new modifications of the M777 gun.
