Repost cuz FA can't tell up from down with phone pics still.

The XM2001 Self Propelled Howitzer was a experimental full tracked 155mm howitzer developed between the 1980s to 2002 as a possible replacement for the aging M109 Paladin which had (and has) been in service sine the Viet Nam War. The Crusader offered a much higher velocity gun, longer range, and more power per shot using a newly developed liquid propellant. The vehicle was developed to share a large part commonality with the M1 Abrams family of Combat Tanks (yes they are classified as Combat Tanks not MBTs by the US Army) including running gear, power pack, and electrical systems. This would have made it the second SPH to be powered by a gas turbine engine after the Swedish Bandkanon based on the Strv103. In the late 90s Congress demanded the vehicle meet a weight limit of 41 tonnes which the by now 61 tonne Crusader simply couldn't accomplish without a full redesign and congress refused to accept the vehicle as is with its only true short coming being the weight and the project was scrapped in May 2002 just 2 years before it was expected to enter service. The vehicle bears an extremely similar shape to the German Panzerhaubitze 2000 and many lessons were learned for the Crusader for the PzH2000.