Inside the Army’s New M109A7 Paladin Howitzer

The M109A7 Paladin self-propelled howitzer is the latest evolution of a gun that has served the U.S. Army since Vietnam.

The 40-ton machine rocked back on its haunches, and launched a 155mm shell through the sky above Fort Bliss, Texas. The round streaked to a target downrange, while the M109A7 Paladin and crew already were on the move.

The activity on the range marked more than routine training. Soldiers from the 4th Battalion, 1st Field Artillery Regiment – a core unit of the 1st Armored Division Artillery ...