Korea unveils next-gen howitzer plans for defense exports

Buyers of the K9 self-propelled howitzer may expand defense cooperation by sharing military intelligence – sources

Polish defense officials (left) attend a meeting for buyers of the K9 self-propelled howitzer (right) on Jan. 23, 2024, in Helsinki (Courtesy of Hanwha Aerospace)
Polish defense officials (left) attend a meeting for buyers of the K9 self-propelled howitzer (right) on Jan. 23, 2024, in Helsinki (Courtesy of Hanwha Aerospace)
Dong-Hyun Kim 2
2024-01-26 12:47:15 3code@hankyung.com
Aerospace & Defense

South Korea introduced plans for the development of next-generation self-propelled howitzers to its existing customers as the country aims to foster the defense industry, a new growth engine for Asia’s fourth-largest economy.

The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) unveiled a roadmap for the K9A2 and the K9A3 – revamped models of the K9 locomotive artillery – over the next decade at a meeting for buyers of the self-propelled howitzer in Helsinki, industry sources in Seoul said on Thursday.

The K9A2 is capable of firing up to nine rounds per minute with a fully automated loading system including charges and fuse set, faster than the current six shots, while significantly improving crew survivability, according to the sources.

About 50 military and defense officials from six countries that bought the K9 howitzers, including Finland, Norway, Australia, Poland, Estonia and South Korea, gathered to discuss details and operational know-how of the artillery from Jan. 23-25. The US, the world’s top military spender, attended the meeting of the so-called K9 User Club as an observer.

K9 USER CLUB

The K9 buyers are likely to form a defense cooperation council by sharing military intelligence, which could increase South Korea’s arms exports, industry sources said.

“Like the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) and AUKUS, the K9 User Club is setting up new standards,” said an official at the UK unit of Hanwha Aerospace Co., which produces the K9.

NATO is an intergovernmental military alliance of 31 member states – 29 European and two North American. The JEF is a UK-led multilateral framework for defense cooperation formed by 10 European countries, while AUKUS is a trilateral security partnership for the Indo-Pacific region between Australia, the UK and the US.

The K9 dominates the global locomotive artillery market. It is top among 16 models of 152 millimeters and 155 mm self-propelled howitzers in service worldwide with a market share of 36%, according to the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses.
The K9 (Courtesy of Hanwha Aerospace)
The K9 (Courtesy of Hanwha Aerospace)

The South Korean model accounted for 45% of the 1,401 units of 155 mm self-propelled howitzers globally traded since 2010.

Hanwha, the world’s top self-propelled howitzer producer aims to further expand its market share with more investments in overseas countries. The company hopes to supply the K9A2 for the UK’s Mobile Fires Platform (MFP) program to procure a new 155 mm self-propelled artillery system.

“We also plan to create a spare parts supply center for the K9 self-propelled howitzer in Europe,” the company said.

Write to Dong-Hyun Kim at 3code@hankyung.com
 

Jongwoo Cheon edited this article.
#Korea #Finland #Norway #Australia #Poland #Estonia #USA #UK #NATO #JEF #AUKUS #K9 #howitzers #DAPA #military #artillery

Hanwha Aerospace to export more K9 howitzer to Poland

Hanwha Aerospace to export more K9 howitzer to Poland

K9 self-propelled howitzer (Courtesy of Hanwha Aerospace)  Hanwha Aerospace Co. announced on Monday that it signed a $2.6 billion executive contract with the Polish State Armament Agency to export additional K9 self-propelled howitzers. This contract includes the delivery of 152 units to P

Korean defense sector to offset semiconductor downturn: FT

Korean defense sector to offset semiconductor downturn: FT

A man inspects the South Korean K9 self-propelled howitzers for Polish Army soldiers on display at the base of the 11th Mazurian Artillery Regiment in Wegorzewo, northern Poland, on Dec. 12, 2022 (File photo, courtesy of EPA, Yonhap) South Korea’s defense sector is enjoying booming demand

Hanwha Aerospace to unveil self-propelled howitzer K9A2 in UK

Hanwha Aerospace to unveil self-propelled howitzer K9A2 in UK

South Korea's Hanwha Aerospace Co. announced on Tuesday that it will unveil the latest model of its K9 self-propelled howitzer, the K9A2, at the Defense and Security Equipment International (DSEI) trade show in London from Sept. 12 to 15.Hanwha Aerospace will showcase the K9A2 as part of a sel

Hanwha inks $1.7 bn K9 howitzer deal to Egypt

Hanwha inks $1.7 bn K9 howitzer deal to Egypt

K9 Thunder is a South Korean 155 mm self-propelled howitzer manufactured by Hanwha Defense Hanwha Defense Co. signed a contract to sell K9 self-propelled howitzers to Egypt on Tuesday in a deal worth over 2 trillion won ($1.7 billion.)Of the company's eight sales agreements for K9 self-propelle

Hanwha Defense to supply howitzers to Australia in $788 mn deal

Hanwha Defense to supply howitzers to Australia in $788 mn deal

The AS9 Huntsman, the Australian version of the K9 self-propelled howitzer (Courtesy of Hanwha Defense) South Korea’s Hanwha Defense Co. inked a $788 million deal to supply K9 self-propelled howitzers to Australia, marking its first sale of the self-propelled artillery system to a member

(* comment hide *}