Sorry about the stupid abbreviation but FA has a stupid character limit. The Howitzer, Self-Propelled, Full Tracked, 155mm Gun, M109A3 Paladin is a US SPH and the third main variant of the Paladin family. The Paladin is one of the longest serving family of vehicles still in the US Arsenal first seeing combat in Vietnam. However this doenst mean that it hasnt been wanted to get the boot. The first real plan to retire the M109 can in the XM-2001 Crusader on the chassis of a modified M1 but weight and budget had canclled the project in 2002 towards the final stages of testing amd development. Now a new contender is running for the spot known as the M1299 which seems to be an M109A7 with a MUCH longer gun, an auto laoding system, upgraded systems and who else knows woth plans for full production and implementation being scheduled for 2024. But until then the M109 will continue the tradition of being the US Army's main stay for mobile artillery.