armor and future networking technologies as they become ready. The M109A7 can sustain a one-round per-minute rate of fire and a maximum rate of fire of four rounds per minute. Weighing , the M109A7 is heavier than its predecessor, and it has the capacity to grow to . Even with the weight increase, the M109A7 can travel faster than previous versions at and is more maneuverable than a BFV. Prototypes of the vehicle underwent government testing in preparation for a Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP) decision. The testing included RAM, mission and ballistic hull and turret testing. The M109A7 was slated to begin LRIP by 2013. The U.S. Army planned on procuring a fleet of 580 sets of M109A7 howitzers and M992A3 Field Artillery Ammunition Support Vehicles (FAASVs). In October 2013, the Defense Acquisition Board approved the decision to start M109A7 production. The FY 2014 budget called for $340.8 million in Paladin funding, which would be two dozen vehicle sets at $14.4 million per vehicle. The Army plans to buy 133 vehicles, in 66 one-half vehicle sets starting in 2014. One M109A7 howitzer and two supporting M992A3 ammunition carriers will be destroyed during tests. A Full-Rate Production (FRP) decision was planned for February 2017. In October 2013, BAE received a $668 million contract to begin LRIP of the M109A7. The first M109A6 and M992A2 vehicles were rebuilt to M109A7 and M992A3 standards as part of LRIP beginning in summer 2014. LRIP deliveries began in April 2015. The contract for FRP was signed in December 2017, with 48 vehicles slated for construction. The Army plans to upgrade 689 Paladins to A7-standard. The Army is looking to increase the capabilities of the M109A7. By introducing the new XM1113 rocket-assisted projectile (RAP), it can reach from the current 39-caliber barrel. A planned barrel extension to 58-caliber can increase its range to . An additional XM1113 improvement over the legacy RAP round is the replacement of the high explosive, TNT, with an insensitive munition that is less volatile and less prone to unplanned detonation. The Army is working on an autoloader to increase the sustained rate of fire to 6–10 rounds per minute. Another part of the effort is the use of a new supercharged propellant to fire the shells, which required redesigning the howitzer to handle higher pressures. These improvements are being developed under the Extended Range Cannon Artillery (ERCA) program, which upgraded the