TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The US will sell M109A7 Paladin self-propelled howitzers to Taiwan, with funding under the NT$1 trillion (US$32.9 billion) special defense procurement budget.

Taiwan originally planned to buy 168 M109A7s, but may cut the order to 120 to avoid delays that could push delivery beyond the seven-year budget window, Liberty Times reported. Deliveries would be split into two phases.

The first batch of 60 howitzers would be covered by the special budget and completed within its timeframe. The second batch may shift to the defense ministry’s annual budget depending on the progress of phase one.

The Paladin mounts a 155 mm, 39-caliber gun with a maximum range of about 30 kilometers.