Taipei, Dec. 21 (CNA) The upcoming additions of U.S.-made M109A7 howitzers will boost Taiwan's artillery with higher mobility, better precision and more firepower, a local defense expert told CNA on Sunday.
Shu Hsiao-huang (舒孝煌), an associate research fellow at Taiwan's military-funded Institute for National Defense and Security Research (INDSR), said the M109A7 howitzers will play a crucial role in modernizing Taiwan's artillery capabilities, which are important for eliminating People's Liberation Army (PLA) troops landing in Taiwan.
The M109A7 is able to fire within 60 seconds after receiving an order to do so, which is expected to significantly increase the howitzer's survival rate on the battlefield, Shu said.
Also, once equipped with a Precision Guidance Kit (PGK), the M109A7's artillery projectile will be able to hit within 30 meters of the target at any range, a huge improvement from the previous 250 meters.
The PGK will therefore add precision guidance to munitions, enabling Taiwan's military to engage targets with greater efficiency, he said.
In terms of mobility, the M109A7 has been fitted with the chassis of the M2 Bradley and a 675-horsepower engine, allowing it to travel faster than previous versions at 61 kilometers per hour.
The M109A7 can also sustain a maximum rate of fire of four rounds per minute, providing multifaceted defensive firepower while operating alongside other rocket systems, including HIMARS, he added.
Shu made the remarks when asked about the significance of the future addition of M109A7 howitzers to Taiwan's armed forces.
On Wednesday, Washington announced the potential sale of eight arms packages to Taiwan, to include 60 M109A7 self-propelled howitzer systems and related equipment worth more than US$4 billion, as well as 4,080 PGKs.
The U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), which made the announcement, said it has delivered the required certifications notifying Congress of the sales, following approval by the U.S. State Department.
Once the U.S. Congress approves the arms sales during a mandatory review period of around 30 days, a formal contract will be signed by Taiwan and the U.S., and the sales will commence, according to Taiwan's military.
