The Fires Center of Excellence Capabilities Development and Integration Directorate here, is celebrating a prime victory after the Paladin Integrated Management program received Milestone C approval in the Defense Acquisition System.
This Materiel Development Decision moves the project from the engineering design phase of the acquisitions process into the producing and production phase.
“This is a huge win for the military and the sphere Artillery,” said Col. Michael Hartig, with U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command Capability Manager Brigade Combat Team Fires, or TCM BCT Fires. “It’s an incredible win for us for years yet to come.”
The last time a weapon system was approved for production in this scale without an urgent needs statement from theater was probably the Bradley Fighting Vehicle.
“In today’s economic situation with the defense budget, you’re unlikely to get a brand new start. Here is about as close as you will get to a brand new platform without being a brand new start,” said Hartig.
“It’s an enormous improvement on what we currently have. The PIM (Paladin Integrated Management) is similar gun, same M109A6 fires delivery capabilities, however the hull, the underside of the vehicle is today’s.”
The PIM has a much better profile than the present Paladin and was redesigned to simply accept components of the Bradley Fighting Vehicle, corresponding to the engine, transmission, and tracks. Hartig said 27 percent of its parts are used at the Bradley, with a purpose to save the military money in production costs, parts inventory and in training maintenance personnel.
“The engine, the transmission, the street wheels, the torsion bars — that’s what costs units money. In the event you deploy and feature a maintenance issue, you’ve the flexibility to cross level parts from other organizations inside the [armored brigade combat team],” said Hartig.
The new cab has more room with an all-electric system to exchange the hydraulic system of its predecessor. The PIM also uses the 600-volt system from the Non-Line-of-Sight Cannon, in an effort to provide enough power for future technologies.
“The logic is regardless of the [armored brigade combat team] comes up with: if the Bradley gets a brand new [command and control or C2] device, we are able to put a brand new C2 device on ours. We will be able to finally stay alongside of what our maneuver brothers are doing,” said Hartig.
The PIM has more armor to offer protection to Soldiers inside in addition to added technology in an effort to alleviate the necessity to expose crew members operating crew served weapons from open hatches.
Doug Brown, deputy TCM BCT Fires, said the inability of protection for the crew chief was the number 1 complaint at the Paladin and the sphere Artillery Ammunition Supply Vehicle in theater. To mend that problem the PIM can accommodate the typical remote operating weapon system , called CROWS.
“Instead of having out of the turret to fireplace, you are able to do it in the weapon using a screen. Also they are making it possible for not just the crew chief to function the CROWS, but that Soldier should be ready to pass it to the gunner or the assistant section chief,” said Hartig.
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