K9 Thunder

155mm tracked self-propelled armored howitzer - South Korea

The K9 Thunder is a South Korean Self-Propelled 155 mm Howitzer (SPH) developed by Samsung Techwin and now manufactured by the company Hanwha Land Systems. The development program of this 155 mm/52-caliber self-propelled howitzer has been underway since 1989. In 1996 the first prototype of this new artillery system was tested. The contract for the new K9 artillery system was awarded to Samsung Aerospace Industries (SSA) by the Korean Government on 22 December 1998. The Republic of Korea Army received the first production batch of K9 from prime contractor SSA in 1999. Turkey has licensed the design of the K9 and used it to develop its indigenous self-propelled howitzer, the T-155 Firtina. The Finnish Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirmed on 17 February 2017, the purchase of K9 Thunder 155 mm self-propelled howitzers from South Korea. According to the Finnish MoD, Finland purchased 48 second-hand South Korean Army K9 self-propelled howitzers at a cost of €146 million (US$155 million). On Wednesday, December 20, 2017, Norway’s defense ministry has announced the purchase of the K9 155 artillery self-propelled howitzers designed and manufactured by the South Korean Company Hanwha Land Systems. Estonia is planning to buy K9 Thunder 155 mm self-propelled howitzers from South Korea, with the two countries signing a memorandum of understanding to begin procurement negotiations on 6 February 2017. In July 2017, Indian Company India's Larsen & Toubro and Hanwha Techwin (HTW) of South Korea signed a contract to produce the K9 155mm/52 Caliber Tracked Self-Propelled howitzer for the Indian Army under the name of Vajra-T, an enhanced version of the K9 Thunder, manufactured according to specific requirements of the Indian Army including desert operations. Tracked chassis of the K9 is also exported to Poland to manufacture the Polish-made Krab 155 mm self-propelled howitzers. The press service of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Estonia announced on Tuesday, June 26, 2018, that Estonia has signed a contract with South Korean Defense Company Hanwha to purchase 12 K9 Thunder 155mm self-propelled howitzers for a total amount of €46 million. In October 2018, Hanwha Land Systems confirmed that trials of the K9 Thunder SP artillery system have also been undertaken in Australia, Egypt, Malaysia, Spain, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). On September 2019, the Norwegian army has taken delivery of the first K9 155mm tracked self-propelled howitzer and K10 ARV Armored Resupply Vehicle. The K9 155mm tracked self-propelled is now in service with South Korea, India, Poland, Finland, Estonia, Norway, and Egypt has performed evaluation tests of the K9. In September 2020, Australia announced the purchase of 30 K9 Thunder, as well as 15 K10 ammunition resupply, tracked armored vehicles. According to information published during the EDEX defense exhibition that was held in Egypt, in December 2021, Egypt has shown interest to acquire the South Korean K9 self-propelled howitzer. In January 2022, it was announced that India could order 200 additional K9 howitzers. On February 1, 2022, South Korea signed a contract with Egypt for the delivery of K9 howitzers. On August 26, 2022, Hanwha Defense signed an execution contract to supply K9 Thunder Self-Propelled Howitzers (SPHs) to Poland. Valued some $2.4 billion, the contract is the first phase of the framework agreement, signed in late July, as part of the efforts to strengthen the defense capabilities of the Polish Armed Forces. The latest variant of the K9 howitzer, the K9A2 is one of the contenders for the Mobile Fires Platform (MFP) program launched by the British Ministry of Defense. On December 6, 2022, the South Korean company Hanwha Aerospace delivered the first batch of 24 K9 self-propelled howitzers to Poland. On January 14, 2023, Estonia signed a new contract with the South Korean company Hanwha Defense for the procurement of 12 additional K9 155mm howitzers. According to information published by the "Defense Romania" website on July 7, 2023, Romania plans to acquire 58 K9 155mm howitzers. 

K9 Thunder Variants:

-K10 ARV: ammunition resupply vehicle for K9 Howitzer