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ArtilleryIn service
Self-propelled howitzer
M109A2 originates in United States. Its cited manufacturer or builder is BMY, a Division of Harsco Corporation (York, PA).
United StatesAI-generated illustration · Not a photograph · M109A2 155 mm self-propelled howitzer. Exterior details are illustrative and are not specification evidence.
ForceTally · AI-generated illustration · Not a photograph. Created from the sourced exact M109A2 designation and exterior description; no input photograph. · ForceTally · All rights reserved · Source ↗ · ModifiedTechnical data
M109A2
Incorporated 27 Reliability, Availability, and Maintainability (RAM) mid-life improvements. Most notably, the long barreled 155 mm M185 Cannon in the new M178 gun mount, ballistic protection for the panoramic telescope, counterbalanced travel lock, and the ability to mount the M140 bore sight alignment device. Stowage of 155 mm rounds increased from 28 to 36 rounds; .50cal ammunition remained at 500 rounds. Fielded in 1979.
During M109A2 production, a slightly simplified version was also produced for export. This had minor internal changes and deleted the hull flotation feature. These were designated M109A1B .
M109A1/A2/A3/A4/A5: empty weight of 52,000 lbs (23.6 metric tons) and combat weight of 55,000 lbs (24.95 metric tons)
M109A1/A2/A3/A4/A5: empty weight of 52,000 lbs (23.6 metric tons) and combat weight of 55,000 lbs (24.95 metric tons)
M109A1/A2/A3/A4/A5/A6/A7: hull length of 20.3 ft, length with gun forward of 32 ft
M109A1/A2/A3/A4/A5/A6/A7: hull length of 20.3 ft, length with gun forward of 32 ft
True scale
Sourced dimensions beside a 1.75 m human reference.
M109A1–A4: 18.1 km (11.2 mi) (M107, HE) 23.5 km (14.6 mi) (M549A1, RAP/HE)
M109A1–A4: Watervliet Arsenal M185 155 mm 39 caliber, 28 rounds (A1) or 36 rounds (A2–A4)
M109A1–A4: Detroit Diesel 8V71T 8-cylinder water-cooled supercharged diesel engine 405 hp @ 2.300 rpm
23.5 km w/Rocket Assisted Projectile (RAP) 18.1 km unassisted
23.5 km w/Rocket Assisted Projectile (RAP) 18.1 km unassisted
56,000 lbs
29.9 ft
10.8 ft
10.3 ft
155 mm cannon (M185)
Machine Gun Cal. .50 and M16A1 rifles
6 ( + Accompanying Vehicle M548/3)
6 ( + Accompanying Vehicle M548/3)
220 miles (345 km)
All ammunition except the M203 charge
BMY, a Division of Harsco Corporation (York, PA)
M109A2
Self-Propelled Howitzer (SPH)
155 mm
6 (commander, gunner, 3 loaders, driver)
The M108 and M109 shared a common chassis (along with the M113 APC), but the M109 was heavier and had a larger gun. The M108 proved unsuccessful, mainly due to its overly light gun.
INA
INA
Major changes from the M109A1 include a redesigned rammer and improved recoil mechanism, engine operation warning devices, a redesigned hatch and door latches, an improved hydraulic system and a bustle designed to carry an additional 22 rounds of ammunition.
6.19 m
9.12 m
3.28 m
3.28 m
24,948 kg
0.83 kg/cm sq
1 x General Motors 8V-71T 569-cu in (9.32-liter) liquid-cooled, turbo-charged 2-stroke V-8 diesel
V-8 diesel
405 hp at 2,300 rpm
16.23 hp/ton
135 gal (511 liters)
Allison ATD-XTG 411-2A (A3) or 411-4 with quick disconnect powershift crossdrive, 4 forward and 2 reverse gears
354
56
INA
Not Amphibious
30
60
0.53
1.83
1.07
torsion bar, 7 road wheels, front drive, rear idler, no return rollers (all models except PIM)
INA
Fire-control equipment includes an elbow telescope M118C for direct fire with a magnification of 4x and 10-degree field of view; panoramic telescope M117 for indirect fire and gunner's quadrant M1A1.
INA
INA
Yes
Yes
It has an all weather ballistic shield mounted over the panoramic telescope; counterbalanced travel lock and provisions for mounting the M140 alignment device.
Light alloy aluminum to protect against small-arms fire and shell splinters
The turret takes up the rear. On top of the turret, there is a small cupola, from which the commander operates. This cupola is also fitted with a 12.7 mm (.50) M2HB heavy machine gun.
INA
INA
INA
INA
INA
No
INA
INA
M185 155 mm/L39 howitzer
Howitzer
155 mm
INA
INA
INA
48
right-hand rifling with constant, 8.93-deg twist
Welin-step thread
hydropneumatic
-3/+75 deg (-53/+1,333 mils)
360 deg (6,400 mils)
14.6 km
1 rd/min first hour; 4 rd in first 3 min max
2 rpm
This self-propelled artillery system is supported by an associated M992 armored ammunition supply vehicle. It is based on the same tracked chassis as the M109.
This version mounts the longer M185 155-mm gun and incorporated elevation, traversing and suspension improvements.
Other improvements include a more efficient muzzle brake, improved load assisting system and improved suspension. Maximum range of fire is 18.1 km with standard HE-FRAG projectile and 24 km with rocket-assisted projectile. IT is also capable of launching M712 Copperhead laser-guided rounds. These rounds are intended to engage high-value hostile targets, such as tanks, armored vehicles, artillery systems, radars, observation posts and so on. Most original M109 artillery systems were upgraded to this standard.
The cab has a rear bustle rack which provides an increased ammunition stowage capacity.
M864
DPICM
155mm
898 mm
43.80 kg
22,000 m
11 min
36 Rounds Total of any Combination Projectiles
M483A1
HE
155
899 mm
46.49 kg
17,740 m
11 min
36 Rounds Total of any Combination Projectiles
M718
RAAMS Long
155 mm
781 mm
46.71 kg
17,740 m
11 min
36 Rounds Total of any Combination Projectiles
1 x M2 Browning 12.7mm Heavy Machine Gun
Heavy Machine Gun
12.7 mm
1,654 mm
1,143 mm
38 kg (83.78 lb) 58 kg (127.87 lb) with tripod and T&E (Traverse and Elevation Mechanism)
Short recoil-operated
450–600 rounds/min
890 m/s
7,400 m
1,800 m
Belt-fed (M2 or M9 links)
INA
Rifle
12.7
12.7×99mm NATO
500 Rounds
United States
Reference text from Wikipedia contributors, used under CC BY-SA 4.0.
M109 howitzer equipment records. Variants, orders and quantities are shown as reported in each inventory source; coverage is incomplete.
AustriaReported count for M109 PzHb M109 A5Ö. Country-wide list; no individual service specified. 1 distinct count cell(s) from the same source list; shared rowspan cells counted once. Excludes retired/reserve/on-order rows. Count column(s): quantity: 53. Origin: United States Austria. The listed variants/roles are the scope, not an immediately deployable count. The components do not establish one inventory census date; the stored date is the retrieved source snapshot.
BahrainArmy exact named equipment holdings: M109A5. Active, operational-reserve and training units excluding equipment in store; November 2025 IISS assessment. Named service only; no parent-force or national total inferred. Source role: ARTILLERY / 155mm. Original estimates, ranges, reporting names, reserve, lease and employment scopes retained; nested included counts are not added. Missile-system quantities mean launchers, not rounds. No readiness, crew, carried weapon, payload, factory-production or future order count inherited.
BrazilArmy exact named equipment holdings: M109A5; M109A3; M109A5+. Active, operational-reserve and training units excluding equipment in store; November 2025 IISS assessment. Named service only; no parent-force or national total inferred. Source role: ARTILLERY / 155mm. Original estimates, ranges, reporting names, reserve, lease and employment scopes retained; nested included counts are not added. Missile-system quantities mean launchers, not rounds. No readiness, crew, carried weapon, payload, factory-production or future order count inherited.
ChileArmy exact named equipment holdings: M109A3; M109A5+. Active, operational-reserve and training units excluding equipment in store; November 2025 IISS assessment. Named service only; no parent-force or national total inferred. Source role: ARTILLERY / SP 155mm. Original estimates, ranges, reporting names, reserve, lease and employment scopes retained; nested included counts are not added. Missile-system quantities mean launchers, not rounds. No readiness, crew, carried weapon, payload, factory-production or future order count inherited.
DjiboutiArmy exact named equipment holdings: M109L. Active, operational-reserve and training units excluding equipment in store; November 2025 IISS assessment. Named service only; no parent-force or national total inferred. Source role: ARTILLERY / SP 155mm. Original estimates, ranges, reporting names, reserve, lease and employment scopes retained; nested included counts are not added. Missile-system quantities mean launchers, not rounds. No readiness, crew, carried weapon, payload, factory-production or future order count inherited.
EgyptArmy exact named equipment holdings: M109A5; M109A2. Active, operational-reserve and training units excluding equipment in store; November 2025 IISS assessment. Named service only; no parent-force or national total inferred. Source role: ARTILLERY / 155mm. Original estimates, ranges, reporting names, reserve, lease and employment scopes retained; nested included counts are not added. Missile-system quantities mean launchers, not rounds. No readiness, crew, carried weapon, payload, factory-production or future order count inherited.
GreeceArmy exact named equipment holdings: M109A1B/A2/A3GEA1/A5. Active, operational-reserve and training units excluding equipment in store; November 2025 IISS assessment. Named service only; no parent-force or national total inferred. Source role: ARTILLERY / 155mm. Original estimates, ranges, reporting names, reserve, lease and employment scopes retained; nested included counts are not added. Missile-system quantities mean launchers, not rounds. No readiness, crew, carried weapon, payload, factory-production or future order count inherited.
IndonesiaArmy exact named equipment holdings: M109A4. Active, operational-reserve and training units excluding equipment in store; November 2025 IISS assessment. Named service only; no parent-force or national total inferred. Source role: ARTILLERY / 155mm. Original estimates, ranges, reporting names, reserve, lease and employment scopes retained; nested included counts are not added. Missile-system quantities mean launchers, not rounds. No readiness, crew, carried weapon, payload, factory-production or future order count inherited.
IranReported count for M109A1. Service scope: Iranian Army; does not replace a national total. 1 distinct count cell(s) from the same source list; shared rowspan cells counted once. Retired, wholly reserve and on-order rows are excluded; the reported count retains any explicitly mixed stock scope in the quoted row. Count column(s): quantity: 150. Origin: United States Iran. The listed variants/roles are the scope, not an immediately deployable count. Dates are the count-cell citations' stated source period (2026), not the article revision. 2026 cited source edition. Edition or publication years do not claim an exact inventory census day.
IraqArmy exact named equipment holdings: M109A5; M109A1. Active, operational-reserve and training units excluding equipment in store; November 2025 IISS assessment. Named service only; no parent-force or national total inferred. Source role: ARTILLERY / 155mm. Original estimates, ranges, reporting names, reserve, lease and employment scopes retained; nested included counts are not added. Missile-system quantities mean launchers, not rounds. No readiness, crew, carried weapon, payload, factory-production or future order count inherited.
IsraelStored Army exact named equipment holdings: M109A2. Explicit source inventory scope: stored; independently counted whole stock in store. November 2025 IISS assessment. Named service only; no operational holding, readiness or parent-force total inferred. Source role: ARTILLERY / 155mm. Original estimates, ranges, reporting names and exact storage declarations retained. Stored quantities earn no operational index points.
ItalyReported count for M109 howitzers. Service scope: Italian Army; does not replace a national total. 1 distinct count cell(s) from the same source list; shared rowspan cells counted once. Excludes retired/reserve/on-order rows. Count column(s): quantity: 11. Origin: unstated. The listed variants/roles are the scope, not an immediately deployable count. The components do not establish one inventory census date; the stored date is the retrieved source snapshot.
JordanArmy exact named equipment holdings: M109A1/A2. Active, operational-reserve and training units excluding equipment in store; November 2025 IISS assessment. Named service only; no parent-force or national total inferred. Source role: ARTILLERY / 155mm. Original estimates, ranges, reporting names, reserve, lease and employment scopes retained; nested included counts are not added. Missile-system quantities mean launchers, not rounds. No readiness, crew, carried weapon, payload, factory-production or future order count inherited.
Kuwait
LatviaReported count for M109A5Ö / M109 Rechenstellenpanzer M109. Service scope: Latvian Land Forces; does not replace a national total. 2 distinct count cell(s) from the same source list; shared rowspan cells counted once. Excludes retired/reserve/on-order rows. Count column(s): quantity: 47 / quantity: 10. Origin: United States Austria. The listed variants/roles are the scope, not an immediately deployable count. The components do not establish one inventory census date; the stored date is the retrieved source snapshot.
LebanonArmy exact named equipment holdings: M109A5; M109A2. Active, operational-reserve and training units excluding equipment in store; November 2025 IISS assessment. Named service only; no parent-force or national total inferred. Source role: ARTILLERY / SP 155mm. Original estimates, ranges, reporting names, reserve, lease and employment scopes retained; nested included counts are not added. Missile-system quantities mean launchers, not rounds. No readiness, crew, carried weapon, payload, factory-production or future order count inherited.
MoroccoArmy exact named equipment holdings: M109A5. Active, operational-reserve and training units excluding equipment in store; November 2025 IISS assessment. Named service only; no parent-force or national total inferred. Source role: ARTILLERY / 155mm. Original estimates, ranges, reporting names, reserve, lease and employment scopes retained; nested included counts are not added. Missile-system quantities mean launchers, not rounds. No readiness, crew, carried weapon, payload, factory-production or future order count inherited.
NorwayReported count for M109A3GN. Service scope: Norwegian Army; does not replace a national total. 1 distinct quantity component(s) from the same source list; shared rowspan cells counted once. Explicit source inventory scope: stored; no other stock status or total inferred. Count column(s): quantity: 33. Origin: United States. The listed variants/roles are the scope, not an immediately deployable count. The components do not establish one inventory census date; the stored date is the retrieved source snapshot.
OmanReported count for M109A0. Service scope: Royal Army of Oman; does not replace a national total. 1 distinct count cell(s) from the same source list; shared rowspan cells counted once. Retired, wholly reserve and on-order rows are excluded; the reported count retains any explicitly mixed stock scope in the quoted row. Count column(s): quantity: 15. Origin: United States. The listed variants/roles are the scope, not an immediately deployable count. The components do not establish one inventory census date; the stored date is the retrieved source snapshot.
PakistanArmy exact named equipment holdings: M109A5; M109A2; M109L. Active, operational-reserve and training units excluding equipment in store; November 2025 IISS assessment. Named service only; no parent-force or national total inferred. Source role: ARTILLERY / 155mm. Original estimates, ranges, reporting names, reserve, lease and employment scopes retained; nested included counts are not added. Missile-system quantities mean launchers, not rounds. No readiness, crew, carried weapon, payload, factory-production or future order count inherited.
PeruArmy exact named equipment holdings: M109A2. Active, operational-reserve and training units excluding equipment in store; November 2025 IISS assessment. Named service only; no parent-force or national total inferred. Source role: ANTI-TANK/ANTI-INFRASTRUCTURE / SP 155mm. Original estimates, ranges, reporting names, reserve, lease and employment scopes retained; nested included counts are not added. Missile-system quantities mean launchers, not rounds. No readiness, crew, carried weapon, payload, factory-production or future order count inherited.
PortugalStored Army exact named equipment holdings: M109A2. Explicit source inventory scope: stored; independently counted whole stock in store. November 2025 IISS assessment. Named service only; no operational holding, readiness or parent-force total inferred. Source role: ARTILLERY / SP 155mm. Original estimates, ranges, reporting names and exact storage declarations retained. Stored quantities earn no operational index points.
Saudi ArabiaArmy exact named equipment holdings: M109A1B/A2. Active, operational-reserve and training units excluding equipment in store; November 2025 IISS assessment. Named service only; no parent-force or national total inferred. Source role: ARTILLERY / SP 155mm. Original estimates, ranges, reporting names, reserve, lease and employment scopes retained; nested included counts are not added. Missile-system quantities mean launchers, not rounds. No readiness, crew, carried weapon, payload, factory-production or future order count inherited.
South KoreaMarines exact named equipment holdings: M109A2 (K55/K55A1). Active, operational-reserve and training units excluding equipment in store; November 2025 IISS assessment. Named service only; no parent-force or national total inferred. Source role: ARTILLERY / 155mm. Original estimates, ranges, reporting names, reserve, lease and employment scopes retained; nested included counts are not added. Missile-system quantities mean launchers, not rounds. No readiness, crew, carried weapon, payload, factory-production or future order count inherited.
SpainMarines exact named equipment holdings: M109A2. Active, operational-reserve and training units excluding equipment in store; November 2025 IISS assessment. Named service only; no parent-force or national total inferred. Source role: ARTILLERY / SP 155mm. Original estimates, ranges, reporting names, reserve, lease and employment scopes retained; nested included counts are not added. Missile-system quantities mean launchers, not rounds. No readiness, crew, carried weapon, payload, factory-production or future order count inherited.
SwitzerlandOperations Command exact named equipment holdings: M109 KAWEST. Active, operational-reserve and training units excluding equipment in store; November 2025 IISS assessment. Named service only; no parent-force or national total inferred. Source role: ARTILLERY / SP 155mm. Original estimates, ranges, reporting names, reserve, lease and employment scopes retained; nested included counts are not added. Missile-system quantities mean launchers, not rounds. No readiness, crew, carried weapon, payload, factory-production or future order count inherited.
TaiwanArmy exact named equipment holdings: M109A2/A5. Active, operational-reserve and training units excluding equipment in store; November 2025 IISS assessment. Named service only; no parent-force or national total inferred. Source role: ARTILLERY / 155mm. Original estimates, ranges, reporting names, reserve, lease and employment scopes retained; nested included counts are not added. Missile-system quantities mean launchers, not rounds. No readiness, crew, carried weapon, payload, factory-production or future order count inherited.
ThailandArmy exact named equipment holdings: M109A5. Active, operational-reserve and training units excluding equipment in store; November 2025 IISS assessment. Named service only; no parent-force or national total inferred. Source role: ARTILLERY / SP 155mm. Original estimates, ranges, reporting names, reserve, lease and employment scopes retained; nested included counts are not added. Missile-system quantities mean launchers, not rounds. No readiness, crew, carried weapon, payload, factory-production or future order count inherited.
UkraineReported count for M109 · M109A3GN M109A3DK M109A4BE M109A5Ö M109L M109A6 "Paladin". Country-wide list; no individual service specified. 1 distinct count cell(s) from the same source list; shared rowspan cells counted once. Retired, wholly reserve and on-order rows are excluded; the reported count retains any explicitly mixed stock scope in the quoted row. Count column(s): number: 90. Origin: United States. The listed variants/roles are the scope, not an immediately deployable count. Explicitly named source subset; this is not a whole-family total and does not cover other listed designs. Dates are the count-cell citations' stated source period (2024), not the article revision. 2024 cited reference period. Edition or publication years do not claim an exact inventory census day.
United Arab EmiratesUnited Arab Emirates Army holdings only. Army M109L47 self-propelled howitzers.
United StatesUS Army exact named equipment holdings: M109A6; M109A7 (ε850 more M109A6 in store). Active, operational-reserve and training units excluding equipment in store; November 2025 IISS assessment. Named service only; no parent-force or national total inferred. Source role: ARTILLERY / SP 155mm. Original estimates, ranges, reporting names, reserve, lease and employment scopes retained; nested included counts are not added. Missile-system quantities mean launchers, not rounds. No readiness, crew, carried weapon, payload, factory-production or future order count inherited.
Army exact named equipment holdings: M109A5. Active, operational-reserve and training units excluding equipment in store; November 2025 IISS assessment. Named service only; no parent-force or national total inferred. Source role: ARTILLERY / 155mm. Original estimates, ranges, reporting names, reserve, lease and employment scopes retained; nested included counts are not added. Missile-system quantities mean launchers, not rounds. No readiness, crew, carried weapon, payload, factory-production or future order count inherited.
Army exact named equipment holdings: M109A5. Active, operational-reserve and training units excluding equipment in store; November 2025 IISS assessment. Named service only; no parent-force or national total inferred. Source role: ARTILLERY / SP 155mm. Original estimates, ranges, reporting names, reserve, lease and employment scopes retained; nested included counts are not added. Missile-system quantities mean launchers, not rounds. No readiness, crew, carried weapon, payload, factory-production or future order count inherited.
Army exact named equipment holdings: M109A2 (K55/K55A1). Active, operational-reserve and training units excluding equipment in store; November 2025 IISS assessment. Named service only; no parent-force or national total inferred. Source role: ARTILLERY / 155mm. Original estimates, ranges, reporting names, reserve, lease and employment scopes retained; nested included counts are not added. Missile-system quantities mean launchers, not rounds. No readiness, crew, carried weapon, payload, factory-production or future order count inherited.
Army exact named equipment holdings: M109A5. Active, operational-reserve and training units excluding equipment in store; November 2025 IISS assessment. Named service only; no parent-force or national total inferred. Source role: ARTILLERY / SP 155mm. Original estimates, ranges, reporting names, reserve, lease and employment scopes retained; nested included counts are not added. Missile-system quantities mean launchers, not rounds. No readiness, crew, carried weapon, payload, factory-production or future order count inherited.
Reported count for M-109 KAWEST WE. Service scope: Swiss Army; does not replace a national total. 1 distinct count cell(s) from the same source list; shared rowspan cells counted once. Retired, wholly reserve and on-order rows are excluded; the reported count retains any explicitly mixed stock scope in the quoted row. Count column(s): quantity (2024): 133. Origin: United States Switzerland. The listed variants/roles are the scope, not an immediately deployable count. The components do not establish one inventory census date; the stored date is the retrieved source snapshot.
Germany
China