The “sound of freedom” is filling the air around Fort Hood as the Initial Operational Test of the new M109A7 Paladin occurs now through the first week of November.

Over 10,000 155 millimeter artillery rounds are being shot day and night, and the loud, booming thumps are a reminder that Soldiers are training hard preparing to defend our country and our way of life.

Artillerymen of the 3rd Battalion 16th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team of the 1st Cavalry Division, will train and provide feedback on the Paladin’s greater force protection, which includes the ability to deliver accurate, long-range lethal and non-lethal fires.

The Soldiers are working with Operational Test Command test officers, noncommissioned officers and civilians, providing the human element, training hard under realistic operational scenarios against a formidable opposing force. Upon completion of the test, an assessment will determine whether or not the new Paladin is effective, suitable and survivable.

The 3-16 FA Soldiers and leaders, as participants in the operational test, will have the opportunity to use, work with and offer their input on improvements to the equipment. Their personal experiences will impact the systems that Soldiers will ultimately train and fight with in the future.

Testing the Paladin is another step in the Army’s continual modernization of its equipment, using information that Soldiers learn during combat and translating it into improved battlefield capabilities through operational testing.

The 3-16th FA will be conducting defenses, attacks, hasty defenses and counter attacks in support of a notional maneuver force. They will execute three 25-30 kilometer tactical moves per day, 14 fire missions per platoon per day, 104 artillery rounds fired per Paladin per day, and overall firing of over 10,000 rounds during the 18 days of testing and training.

The new Paladin will provide increased firepower in a faster and more easily adaptable platform. Along with equipment improvement, changes are also made to doctrine, organization, training, materiel, leadership education systems, personnel support systems and even in the facilities used to supply and maintain the Paladin.

This modernization effort is critical to enabling our Soldiers to take the fight to our enemies, and returning safely back home.

Essentially, Fort Hood Soldiers testing the Paladin, along with OTC, are the final checks to ensure the Army gets the right equipment for future Soldiers on the battlefield.

With that in mind, safety is paramount in all aspects of operational testing of any piece of Army equipment.

While operational testing of tomorrow’s weapons, vehicles and communications gear is a team-centric effort that answers whether or not a system is operationally suitable, one question always remains: “Is the system safe?”

A system can be operationally successful, but still be unsuitable from a safety perspective. As the Army’s proponent for operational testing, all Soldiers and civilians charged with testing a system must consider a vast array of safety hazards and reduction measures.

Operational testers rely on published documents, rules and regulations to determine the potential safety impact to a Soldier or system. Therefore, a safety release is provided to Soldiers of the test unit to advise each participant of any hazards associated with the system.

So, while test units train in combat representative missions and environments, the scales of safety are applied to steady the excitement surrounding any operational test.

Running the Paladin through the paces of operational testing demonstrates the Army’s commitment and contribution to readiness, while making sure that systems being developed are effective in Soldiers’ hands before they take the system into combat.