Well, I'm not so sure about that... The crusader is some 40 tons, while the M109A6 Paladin it is replacing is 32 tons.
Considering the fact that one Crusader can replace 6 Paladins, that's a considerable weight savings.
The only drawback that I've read about the Crusader is that should the auto-loader fail, the howitzer cannot be manually loaded. But my recommendation on that would be to ensure that the autoloader is a modularized piece, that can quickly be swapped in and out by maitenance units, and I betcha that's how they are handling it.
Call me a techo-geek when it comes to whiz-bang military stuff, but I think they have done this Crusader system right. And the use of CAD design techniques, like were used in the Boeing 777, should resolve many problems normally associated with weapons procurement.
And you have to love that active cooling system for the gun tube which permits awesome quantities of sustained fire.
Regards,
Ron |
