Mannheim APS-2 site receives M109A7 Paladin and M992A3 Field Artillery Ammunition Support Vehicles.

The U.S. 405th Army Field Support Brigade's Army Field Support Battalion-Mannheim (Germany) received about three dozen next-generation M109A7 Paladin Artillery Systems and M992A3 Field Artillery Ammunition Support Vehicles by railhead at Coleman Barracks, March 4. Cameron Porter, 405th AFSB Public Affairs Officer, reports.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link

Unloading of three dozen M109A7 Paladin Artillery Systems and M992A3 Field Artillery Ammunition Support Vehicles from the trains and moving them to the Army Prepositioned Stock-2 Coleman worksite. (Picture source: U.S. Army/courtesy photo)

These new armored vehicles, now a part of the 405th AFSB's Army Prepositioned Stock-2 Program at Coleman worksite, will enhance U.S. Army Europe and Africa's readiness and capability to support the warfighter while simultaneously promoting stability and security in the region.

These enhanced self-propelled artillery systems offer key fire-support for a variety of combat missions conducted by the Army’s Armored Brigade Combat Teams in conventional, hybrid, irregular and counterinsurgency combat environments.

Jason Todd, a logistics management specialist at Coleman worksite, AFSBn-Mannheim, said the work of unloading the new self-propelled howitzers from the trains and moving them to the APS-2 site was a joint effort between multiple teams at Coleman Barracks. The APS-2 site at Mannheim could not support USAREUR-AF’s readiness mission without the total team – more than 800 dedicated and highly-skilled maintainers, mechanics, and staff personnel said Thomas Esposito, the director of Coleman worksite, AFSBn-Mannheim.

A contractor ground guides an M113 APC inside one of the hangars at Coleman worksite. The 405th Army Field Support Brigade's Army Field Support Battalion-Mannheim is responsible for two Army Prepositioned Stock-2 sites. The one at Coleman Barracks houses an Armored Brigade Combat Team’s worth of vehicles and equipment – forward – and ready to issue. (Picture source: U.S. Army/Cameron Porter, 405th ASFB Public Affairs Officer)

At the Coleman worksite, AFSBn-Mannheim’s primary mission is the storage and maintenance of one ABCT’s worth of vehicles and equipment – over 500 pieces, such as M1A2 Abrams tanks, M2 Bradley fighting vehicles, self-propelled howitzers, staff tracked vehicles, armored personnel carriers and more.

Thomas Esposito, the director of Coleman worksite, AFSBn-Mannheim, said: “Our regular business is the maintenance and storage and accountability, thereof,” said Esposito. “We maintain this ABCT – forward – ready to issue to an active-duty unit in the event of a requirement here in theater. We are also able to issue forward, as we demonstrated during DEFENDER-Europe 20.”

The 405th AFSB is assigned to U.S. Army Sustainment Command and under the operational control of the 21st Theater Sustainment Command, USAREUR-AF. The brigade is headquartered in Kaiserslautern, Germany, and provides materiel enterprise support to U.S. Forces throughout Europe and Africa – providing theater sustainment logistics; synchronizing acquisition, logistics and technology; and leveraging the U.S. Army Materiel Command materiel enterprise to support joint forces.