"This sale was a particularly telling assessment of the howitzer's capabilities since the Kuwaiti Army has the budget to purchase nearly whatever it wants" That is a myth, Middle Eastern countries such as Kuwait and Saudi-Arabia have never been that rich, especially where it comes to military equipment. It all depends on the varying price of oil from year to year, and what the neighbouring nations are doing. There is no way the Chinese gun with its 45 cal barrel can have beatern Western guns with their 50 cal barrels performance wise; the only reason Kuwait can have chosen the Chinese weapon can have been on cost grounds From:Jimmy ------------------------------------------------ I bet the Kuwaiti would definitely spend a lot on defence budget since being invade by another country few yrs ago!They will not want to be invaded again.Money to them is no problem as long as u give them the best!

A somewhat simplistic view, perhaps its worth noting that Kuwait also purchased US tanks and UK IFVs. Logistically this sort of diversification might not be very sensible, but politically it has merits.

Just alittle side note about the AS90 reload time, the sub 7 minute time was actually accomplished wearing full MOP 4 kit, the first two runs were carried out without it. So by the time it came to do it wearing NBC kit the crew had the process perfected.

"I bet the Kuwaiti would definitely spend a lot on defence budget since being invade by another country few yrs ago" And look how fast the coalition jumped on Iraq? Kuwait has no reason to fear another invasion; they are buying their equipment on political and cost grounds.

And look how fast the coalition jumped on Iraq? Kuwait has no reason to fear another invasion; they are buying their equipment on political and cost grounds By Yimmy ------------------------------------------------ Yah! Fast? When Iraqi had captured the whole city,loot off all their treasure and take over all oil field then the coalition force moves in!From yr logic,that means Japan,south Korea,Taiwan....all no need to spend on defence because everything depends on Uncle Sam!Is this how r the countries doing now? Can u provide me a source that tells me this deal is purely on political or costs ground and or is it just yr pure assumption? At least my info is from an official source!

Oh, they are just my educated guesses. "no need to spend on defence because everything depends on Uncle Sam". No, 'everything' depends on the UN who will write up a resolution for a coalition to commence military force if the ofending troops do not withdraw, which is exactly what happened with Gulf War 1. Just because the USA happenes to be a large country, does not make them the only contributer. And yes Kuwait did lose a lot; but then they were stealing Iraqi oil.

"Just alittle side note about the AS90 reload time, the sub 7 minute time was actually accomplished wearing full MOP 4 kit, the first two runs were carried out without it. So by the time it came to do it wearing NBC kit the crew had the process perfected' Wars are won by training, and when did the Brits start using 'MOP 4', NBC State 3 perhaps?

Sorry, used wrong term, was NBC state 3, been working in the US too long.

Your both wrong. NBC 3 is NBC suit to be worn with the hood down, with inner/outter gloves on and over-boots on; with S10 to be ready at all times. If the threat has a high risk of droplets then you will be instructed to wear the hood up. Romeo Romeo is everything, S10 and hood up.

I read that the name Paladin is only for the A-6 variant of the M109. So what were the original M109- M109A-5s called? Any name?