Australia will become the next customer for the Korean-made 155mm K9 Thunder self-propelled howitzer
Accordingly, the Australian Government has announced a $788 million defence contract has been awarded to Hanwha Defense Australia
to supply the Australian Army with advanced self-propelled howitzers and ammunition resupply vehicles
30 K9 Thunders, known as AS9s "Huntsman" in Australia, and 15 AS10 armored ammunition resupply vehicles
will be manufactured by Hanwha Defense Australia
Deliveries will take place between 2025 and 2027 at its facility in Geelong, Victoria
Australian Defence Minister Peter Dutton was confident the acquisition of the “Huntsman family of vehicles”
will help enhance the capability of the Australian forces
“The prime ability of the new vehicles is to fire and move quickly, avoiding enemy counter-attack,” the minister said
“This project will mean a significant increase in the level of firepower and security for Australian artillery capability.”
Hanwha’s K9 features a proven 155mm gun in service with seven nations around the world: South Korea, Turkey, Poland, India, Finland, Norway and Estonia
About 1,700 K9 variants are in use among those countries
Negotiations are underway between Hanwha and the Egyptian government for the K9
The K9 has a firing range of 40-plus kilometers with conventional 155mm ammunition
It can move as fast as 67 kph
Fitted with an automatic fire control system, the howitzer can fire within 30 seconds from a stationary position and within 60 seconds while on move
Based on the K9 features, the AS9 Huntsman will be specifically built to meet the requirements of the Australian Army
by adding enhanced armor and weapon-locating radars, according to Hanwha officials
The AS10 resupply vehicle is also to feature better armor protection compared to the classic K10 ammunition resupply vehicle
Hanwha also forged a partnership with Kongsberg for the integration of tactical communication systems and battle management systems for the Huntsman
“The Self-Propelled Howitzer capability, including a strengthened industrial base"
"is one of several projects that will modernize the Australian Army, ensuring it continues to maintain a capability advantage now, and into the future,” Dutton said
Australian Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price expressed hope that
the AS9 facility will bring economic benefits to the domestic industry by creating hundreds of local jobs and becoming a national asset for military capability
Hanwha Defense is offering the newer K9A2 gun, which is still under development
The K9A2 is to be equipped with a fully automated ammunition loading system capable of firing 9-10 rounds per minute
Other advanced technologies under consideration include composite rubber tracks and mine protection kits
With the advanced K9 technologies, including an autoloader
Hanwha Defense is also looking to participate in the U.S. Army’s Extended Range Cannon Artillery program
The company plans to take the K9 artillery to Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona
to demonstrate its performance and compatibility with American munitions