M109G (Italy)

This page is about the tank destroyer M109G (Italy). For other versions, see M109 (Family).

▄M109G

M36B1

M113A1 (TOW)

▄M109G

M36B1

M113A1 (TOW)

Italy

IV Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
6.0	6.0	6.0

Class:

Tank destroyer

Research:63 000

Purchase:200 000

Show in game

Description

The ▄Obice da 155/23 Semovente M109G is a rank IV Italian tank destroyer with a battle rating of 6.0 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update "Kings of Battle".

General info

Survivability and armour

Smoke grenades

Creation of a smoke screen in front of the vehicle

Armourfront / side / back

Hull32 / 32 / 32

Turret32 / 32 / 32

Crew6 people

Visibility96 %

The armour on the M109 is nearly non-existent, being surrounded by 32 mm thick aluminium alloy 5083, which effectively comes down to 13-20 mm RHA. This leaves the vehicle vulnerable to even light machine gun fire from any angle. The weakness of the armour turns into a strong-suit against AP shells that will pass straight through, unable to fuse or create enough spall to inflict major damage. Direct hits from HE and other chemical shells will most likely leave the M109 a burning wreck. The 6 crew members are pretty spaced apart in the turret, giving a plus to crew survivability.

Armour type:

• Aluminium alloy 5083 (Hull, turret)
• Rolled homogeneous armor (Radiator covers)

Armour	Front (Slope angle)	Sides	Rear	Roof
Hull	32 mm (27-74°) Upper Glacis 32 mm (0-49°) Lower Glacis	32 mm Top 32 mm Bottom	32 mm	32 mm Hull Roof 10 mm Radiator Covers
Turret	32 mm (28-73°) Turret front 32 mm (4-56°) Gun mantlet	32 mm (23-50°)	32 mm	32 mm
Cupola	32 mm			32 mm

Notes:

• Suspension wheels - 20 mm (Structural steel of chassis)
• Tracks - 15 mm

Mobility

Speedforward / back

AB62 / 13 km/h

RB and SB57 / 12 km/h

Number of gears8 forward

4 back

Weight24.5 t

Engine power

AB773 hp

RB and SB405 hp

Power-to-weight ratio

AB31.6 hp/t

RB and SB16.5 hp/t

Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.

Game Mode	Max Speed (km/h)		Weight (tons)	Engine power (horsepower)		Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
	Forward	Reverse		Stock	Upgraded	Stock	Upgraded
Arcade	62	13	24.5	575	773	23.47	31.55
Realistic	57	12		358	405	14.61	16.53

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference

AB3 297 → 4 279

RB3 832 → 4 973

SB5 020 → 6 515

Total cost of modifications52 700

90 700

Talisman cost1 700

Crew training57 000

Experts200 000

Aces800

Research Aces520 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

120 / 190 / 250 %

172 / 172 / 172 %

Modifications

Mobility	Protection	Firepower
Tracks Research: 2 600 Cost: 4 500 135 Suspension Research: 2 400 Cost: 4 100 125 Brake System Research: 2 400 Cost: 4 100 125 Filters Research: 4 400 Cost: 7 600 230 Transmission Research: 5 700 Cost: 9 800 300 Engine Research: 5 700 Cost: 9 800 300	Improved Parts Research: 2 600 Cost: 4 500 135 Improved FPE Research: 2 400 Cost: 4 100 125 Crew Replenishment Research: 4 400 Cost: 7 600 230 Smoke grenade Research: 5 700 Cost: 9 800 300	Horizontal Drive Research: 2 600 Cost: 4 500 135 155mm_M110_Smoke_ammo_pack Research: 2 600 Cost: 4 500 135 Adjustment of Fire Research: 2 400 Cost: 4 100 125 155mm_M107_HE_PF_ammo_pack Research: 2 400 Cost: 4 100 125 Elevation Mechanism Research: 4 400 Cost: 7 600 230

Armaments

Main armament

155 mm M126E1 cannon

Ammunition28 rounds

First-order16 rounds

Reloadbasic crew → aces

17.3 → 13.3 s

Vertical guidance-3° / 70°

Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: {{main|Name of the weapon}}. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.

155 mm M126E1					Turret rotation speed (°/s)					Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode	Capacity	Vertical	Horizontal	Stabilizer	Stock	Upgraded	Full	Expert	Aced	Stock	Full	Expert	Aced
Arcade	28	-3°/+70°	±180°	-	9.7	13.4	16.3	18.0	19.1	17.29	15.30	14.10	13.30
Realistic					6.5	7.7	9.4	10.3	11.0

Ammunition

Penetration statistics
Ammunition	Type of warhead	Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
		10 m	100 m	500 m	1,000 m	1,500 m	2,000 m
M107	HE	61	61	61	61	61	61
M107 (PF)	HE-VT	61	61	61	61	61	61

Shell details
Ammunition	Type of warhead	Velocity (m/s)	Projectile mass (kg)	Fuse delay (m)	Fuse sensitivity (mm)	Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (kg)	Ricochet
							0%	50%	100%
M107	HE	684	43.1	0.3	0.1	9.14	79°	80°	81°

Proximity-fused shell details
Ammunition	Type of warhead	Velocity (m/s)	Projectile mass (kg)	Fuse delay (m)	Fuse sensitivity (mm)	Arming distance (m)	Trigger radius (m)	Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (kg)	Ricochet
									0%	50%	100%
M107 (PF)	HE-VT	684	43.1	0	0	300	3	9.14	79°	80°	81°

Smoke shell characteristics
Ammunition	Velocity (m/s)	Projectile mass (kg)	Screen radius (m)	Screen deploy time (s)	Screen hold time (s)	Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
M110	684	44.63	21	5	30	50

Ammo racks of the M109G (Italy)

Ammo racks

Full ammo	Ammo part	1st rack empty	2nd rack empty	3rd rack empty	4th rack empty	Visual discrepancy
28	Projectiles Propellants	24 (+4) 23 (+5)	19 (+9) 17 (+11)	17 (+11) 1 (+27)	1 (+27) N/A	No

Notes:

• M109G (Italy) uses two-piece ammunition, composed of propellant bags (orange) and projectiles (yellow). Both have separate racks.
• Projectiles and propellant bags are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
• 4th rack (for the projectiles) and 3rd rack (for the propellants) are first stage ammo rack. It totals 16 shells and gets filled first when loading up the tank.
• Loading 17 (+11) shells will keep the hull floor and part of both sides empty of ammo.

Machine guns

12.7 mm M2HB machine gun

Ammunition600 rounds

Belt capacity200 rounds

Reloadbasic crew → aces

10.4 → 8.0 s

Fire rate575 shots/min

Vertical guidance-10° / 45°

Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.

12.7 mm M2HB
Mount	Capacity (Belt)	Fire rate	Vertical	Horizontal
Pintle	600 (200)	575	-10°/+45°	±180°

Usage in battles

Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Powerful 155 mm cannon, can take out heavy tanks rather effortlessly
• Great elevation angles
• Access to proxy munitions
• (RB) Slightly faster shell velocity than other short-barrelled artillery tanks, may be easier to aim

Cons:

• Slow turret traverse speed
• Low survivability due to thin armour and munition placement, cannot sustain even 12.7 mm HMG
• Long reload when compared to normal tanks
• (mostly AB) Shell velocity does not let the tank to fire over a hill at short to medium range
• (RB) Bad optics zoom, inadequate for sniping at long distances

History

The story of the M109 begins during the late stages of the Cold War, it would be designed due to a need from the American army to completely replace their aging fleet of M44 self-propelled howitzer. The main objectives for the new and improved replacement were for it to be somewhat mobile and have a bigger calibre. Initial prototypes for the M109 would see it armed with a 105 mm cannon, but would later be changed to a 155 mm. It was also chosen to equip the vehicle with a diesel engine which, although it would prove to give less output, was much more reliable so breaking down would not become a common occurrence. It would first officially enter service in the American army by 1961, and would prove to be quite effective on the battlefield.

Italy comes into play also, post-war they were lacking in a lot of sectors, so America would be generous enough to supply the Italian army with M44 self-propelled howitzers. However, they also soon desired a heavy SPH that would be mobile enough and be able to be operated in multiple types of environments. Eventually after a lot of discussions, the first batches of M109 is would be acquired by the Italian army in 1962. Initially, part of the deal with Italy included 221 M109s equipped with 155 mm cannons. Other part of the deal saw Italy purchase up to 62 versions of the M109A1B. Some of the original M109s were later upgraded by OTO Melara to the M109L standard which had been modified to utilize the 155 mm cannon made by OTO Melara. Italy improved the combat effectiveness of their M109s by adding a "rammer" which heavily reduced operator fatigue while also increasing the rate of fire of the vehicle.

In terms of survivability, the M109 is not the most armoured vehicle there is, but it is said that it could withstand the majority of small arms fire and shell splinters that may happen to hit the vehicle when an enemy performs a counter artillery attack. However, that said, even the weakest HE or HEAT rounds would make short work of the M109, the platform houses its munitions at the back of the turret, so it is safe to say that it would not be able to hold its own against most ground vehicle threats if shot there. In terms of mobility, depending on the version, most M109s can reach speeds of up to 35 km/h, with an overall range of 216 miles. It is powered by a Detroit Diesel 8V71T engine which produces 450 hp.

The M109 has been combat proven in many theatres of war all around the world. The Italian army would mostly use the M109 for various missions and peacekeeping operations, for example during the Kosovo War, where it provided much needed artillery fire for the troops on the ground. Most sources however state that the majority if not all M109s that the Italian army had used, have been phased out during the early 2000s for the more modern and stronger PzH 2000 artillery piece.

Besides the upgrades done by the Italian army, Leonardo created an upgrade for the M109 which added a new cannon able to fire projectiles at a longer range, alongside with the integration of the new Italian-made guided Vulcano munitions.

Media

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the M109G (Italy) from live.warthunder.com.

See also

Related development

• M109 (Family)

External links

• [Devblog] M109: The King of Battle