Brazilian army started training session to maintain new M109A5 howitzers.

Brazilian army has started training session to maintain the new M109A5 155mm tracked self-propelled howitzers. The training session was attended by 14 personnel from the 5th Military Maintenance Group, the 5th Self-Propelled Artillery Group, and the 15th Self-Propelled Artillery Group from the Brazilian army.

M109A5 155mm tracked self-propelled howitzer (Picture source BAE Systems)

In June 2014, U.S. State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to Brazil for M109A5+ upgrade kits and associated equipment, parts, training and logistical support for an estimated cost of $110 million.

In September 2016, BAE Systems awarded a contract from the U.S. Army on behalf of the Brazilian Army to upgrade 32 M109A5 tracked self-propelled Howitzers to the M109A5+BR configuration under a $53.9 million foreign military sales contract signed in September 2016.

The artillery vehicles will include items specifically tailored to the Brazilian Army’s requirements. The M109A5+ provides an increase in capabilities by digitizing the fire mission sequence. The addition of the position and navigation system, commander’s display unit, digital capable radios, weapons control system, and remotely actuated travel lock improve the time from receipt of mission to the firing of the mission by more than 80 percent over previous variants.

In July 2017, United States has authorised another 60 surplus US Army M109A5 155mm tracked self-propelled howitzers to the Brazilian Army through the excess defence articles (EDA) process.

The M109A5 is modified version of the M109A4 with the incorporation of the Reserve Component/Modified Armament System (RC/MAS) which includes new M284 cannon and a new M182 gun mount. The RC/MAS is a range capability improvement kit and, firing the M203A1 charge, ranges of 30 km can be achieved with rocket-assisted projectiles.