The first M109A6 Paladin self-propelled artillery systems from the United States have already been delivered to Ukraine, as we can see in the photo below, published by the Ukraine Weapons Tracker community.
As a reminder, 18 M109A6 howitzers were drawn from the Pentagon's stocks for their further transfer to Ukraine amid the $3 billion military aid package announced on January 6 this year which also included Bradley combat vehicles and all the other tools Ukraine needed to start an upcoming counteroffensive.
Read more: The M109A6 Paladin Self-Propelled Gun From Inside, Its Difference From Previous Modifications
The number of artillery systems pledged was 18, they were first designated simply as "155mm self-propelled howitzers," later identified as precisely the A6 Paladin version by a Pentagon official. It took four months for at least the first two to arrive in Ukraine.
Earlier, we had a closer look at how the M109A6 Paladin looks from the inside as well as the details that make it distinct and more comfortable to use than the previous modifications of the M109. The first howitzer of the A6 version was delivered to the U.S. Army in 1994, the last one joined in 1999, and production ceased.
The most important features are the digital navigation and fire control system integrated into a network called the fire direction center – it knows the location of each fire unit within the network and coordinates firing tasks among them. It also has better armor, a modernized engine and suspension, and ammunition storage increased from 36 to 39 shells.
Earlier Defense Express reported that the US recently announced a military aid package with equipment of a total worth $300 million, it includes more 155mm howitzers (unspecified type), various artillery ammunition, and, among some other things, Hydra-70 unguided air rockets.
Read more: The U.S. to Provide $300 Million Defense Assistance Package to Ukraine, Including the Hydra-70 Rockets
