U.S. Soldiers load and fire the Paladin M109A6 Artillery System with 155mm artillery rounds. At 07:00 the crew of soldiers exits the Paladin once the first round is loaded into the breech and a 50-foot lanyard is attached to the firing mechanism. The lanyard is a safety precaution in the event there is a malfunction with the new tube.
An M109A6 Paladin is Overall product improvement in the areas of survivability, RAM, and armament. This includes increased armor, redesigned (safer) internal storage arrangement for ammunition and equipment, engine and suspension upgrades, and product improvement of the M284 cannon and M182A1 mount. The greatest difference is the integration of an inertial navigation system, sensors detecting the weapons' lay, automation, and an encrypted digital communication system, which utilizes computer controlled frequency hopping to avoid enemy electronic warfare and allow the howitzer to send grid location and altitude to the battery fire direction center (FDC). The battery FDCs in turn coordinate fires through a battalion or higher FDC. This allows the Paladin to halt from the move and fire within 30 seconds with an accuracy equivalent to the previous models when properly emplaced, laid, and safed—a process that required several minutes under the best of circumstances. Tactically, this improves the system's survivability by allowing the battery to operate dispersed by pairs across the countryside and allowing the howitzer to quickly displace between salvos, or if attacked by indirect fire, aircraft, or ground forces.
