BAE Systems has announced a new phase of collaboration with the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Armaments Center (DEVCOM-AC) to further advance the M109-52 Self-Propelled Howitzer prototype. The effort is formalized under a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) that aims to accelerate upgrades to the battle-proven M109 Paladin platform.
The M109-52 offers a cost-effective and low-risk path to rapidly deliver enhanced long-range firepower to U.S. forces. By leveraging existing technologies and proven systems, the program seeks to provide core warfighting capabilities more efficiently.
Dan Furber, Artillery Product Line Director at BAE Systems’ Combat Mission Systems, emphasized the importance of the partnership: “We’re bringing together battle-proven systems with mature technologies to secure a significant leap forward in capability at a much lower cost – that's the power in partnership.”
The initiative builds on previous work carried out separately by BAE Systems and DEVCOM-AC, including testing and development of extended-range artillery capabilities for the M109A7 variant. The joint effort is expected to streamline the modernization process and enhance the artillery systems currently in use by soldiers on the ground.
Further development work on the M109-52 will be conducted at Picatinny Arsenal and across BAE Systems’ extensive U.S. industrial base, including facilities in Alabama, Oklahoma, Minnesota, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.