New life for the M109 ???

[geo]

Had to walk through the south side of Longue Pointe this morning and what did I see ???
A shiny and spiffed up M109 in all it's glory ???  Do you guys have any plans for your tracked 155s or is this just a M109 practissing to become a lawn ornament ?

Paint me curious

 

[Bzzliteyr]

geo, I'll have to have a look around on my way home this evening.. where was it near?

 

[geo]

Was at the very end of that long line of somewhat derelict M109s

(I know that the've prepared a couple of parking spots on the RCOC Museum's vehicle park for other vehicles... and a M109 + Leo1C2 could easily find their way there.... I guess ???

 

[Colin Parkinson]

There are a few being sold to private collectors from what I understand.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

This is one of the ideas to replace/supplement the M109

http://www.southernledger.com/ap/134150/Top_Army_general_praises_new_cannon_in_Minnesota

 

[geo]

The cannon is still several years away from being used in combat. Like the other vehicles in the program, it's built on a common chassis that can travel up to about 37 mph. It's much lighter than conventional combat vehicles, with rubber tracks and a compact, hybrid-electric engine.

It can fire six rounds a minute, compared to less than four for current Army artillery units, Casey said. It's been engineered to precisely hit a target up to nearly 19 miles away, which Casey said is important for both urban and rural warfare. It will give U.S. troops a "decisive advantage" over any enemy, he said.

Well, sounds like the Excalibur round we're using on the M777
but many years away.... sigh - so it's M777s or nothing for the big guns - for the time being

Or is it?

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Well, sounds like the Excalibur round we're using on the M777
but many years away.... sigh - so it's M777s or nothing for the big guns - for the time being

Or is it?

I was trying to find a updated TUSK like M109 Palidan photo I just saw that is being fielded in Iraq. Unless the existing hulls have unfixable stress cracks, then it is a merely a matter of need/will if we will have 155 SPG's again or if Holland offers a super deal on some unused Pz2000's

 

[geo]

well...Holland offered the Aussies a deal on their Pz2000s but, from what I gather, deal not taken....

Guess Holland might sweeten the deal as time comes closer for them to take delivery of the new hardware they don't want.... at least they got a better unit price by ordering in quantity

 

[geo]

was thinking, the Cmdr for LFQA is stepping down on 4 July - and he's a gunner.  Wonder if someone thought of dedicating the retired M109 in his honour.

 

[Petard]

An update on these old gals. They're up for sale and will not get a 2nd lease on life in Canadian service
I had a good look at them on Mon and Tues this week, most of them are in pretty good shape, and looking for a good home.
There's a few that've been left outside, the so called flower pot row, but they've already been claimed for use as monuments.

A pic of some of the good ones.

 

[geo]

A "few" ???... more like 40 +

 

[Danjanou]

There are a few being sold to private collectors from what I understand.

You have room on your front lawn for one old buddy?  8)

 

[Petard]

A "few" ???... more like 40 +

its not that bad (I helped inspect them just this week)
more like 18 that are beyond trying to get into running order
the rest are in running order, and a good number of them came right off the R & O and into long term preservation

 

[Old Sweat]

Petard,

How did we going about laying up the colours when we took them out of service? I think we have both seen pictures of the consecration of the M777s as new colours, but at what point do the old colours become just so much metal?

 

[ironduke57]

...They're up for sale ...

Is there seriously still a market for them? Isn´t the market saturated after 10-20 years of almost world wide military shrinking?
Good you could donated them to Georgia. ;D

Regards,
ironduke57

 

[Petard]

How did we going about laying up the colours when we took them out of service? I think we have both seen pictures of the consecration of the M777s as new colours, but at what point do the old colours become just so much metal?

Good point Sweatie, and since it has nothing to do with proof marks, once they leave Common wealth service they should have the cypher removed, I'll check into that

As to the prospective buyers, there's many out there looking for this type of capability, some just for parts, some to use after refit or even upgrade, and then there's others that know a good deal when they see it
I had heard the rumours too about the M109's we had being in a crap state, but after this week I have to say there's a significant number of them that could be brought back into service in a week (the approximate time it would take to get them out of preservation and do pre-fire checks); and the price is a bargain.

 

[geo]

hear the Georgian amry is looking for some new hardware to replace battle losses
AND the Ukranians are under the gun and might want to have some held in reserve

 

[GAP]

Everytime I drive out to Portage la Prairie (about 50 miles west of Winnipeg) there is a sign "Welcome to the Republik of Manitoba".

Maybe they'll be interested......you know.....seeds for their own Armed Force... ;D

They could apply to Heritage Canada for a grant under "Arts & Culture".... (The CPC wouldn't dare deny them with all the fuss going on about cuts & such)

 

[McG]

Is there seriously still a market for them?

Yes.  There is.

 

[SuperTrooper]

So how do I buy one!
Kind of interested, any one have an idea where to look, tried google but found nothing.