Norway boosts Arctic defense with 24 new K9 VIDAR howitzers from South Korea.

Norway orders 24 more K9 VIDAR howitzers from South Korea, boosting Arctic defense near Russia and expanding its fleet to 52 systems.

Hanwha Aerospace signed a third contract with the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency (NDMA) on September 18, 2025, for the delivery of 24 additional K9 VIDAR self-propelled howitzers, raising Norway’s fleet to a total of 52 systems. Deliveries under this new order are scheduled to conclude by 2027. The systems will be equipped with upgraded communications and integrated into Norway’s national combat system, while the contract also includes an Integrated Logistics Support package designed to provide training and maintenance in cooperation with Norwegian industry.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link

The K9 VIDAR is compatible with BONUS sensor-fused top-attack munitions and is expected to accept future ramjet-assisted rounds with ranges approaching 100 kilometers. (Picture source: Norwegian MoD)

The signing ceremony took place in Oslo in the presence of Jaeil Son, President and CEO of Hanwha Aerospace, Gro Jære, Director General of the NDMA, Major General Lars Lervik, Chief of the Norwegian Army, and Min-Jeong Seo, South Korea’s Ambassador to Norway. This contract builds on two previous procurement phases. In December 2017, Norway ordered 24 K9 VIDAR howitzers and six K10 ammunition resupply vehicles, with deliveries completed on schedule by 2020 and centralized training established at a competence center in Bjerkvik. The first operational battery entered service at Setermoen on January 1, 2021, followed by further deployment in Setermoen and Rena later the same year. In November 2022, Norway exercised an option for four additional K9s and eight K10s. By early 2025, the Norwegian Army fielded 28 K9 VIDARs and 14 K10s. In April 2025, the government confirmed plans to purchase another 24 K9 VIDARs for approximately $534 million, which has now been formalized through the September 2025 agreement.

Evaluations of the system influenced these decisions. On July 8, 2025, the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI), working with the Concept program at NTNU, published its final evaluation of Project P5447. The report concluded that the acquisition met cost, schedule, and operational objectives, while also highlighting evolving risks such as vulnerability to drone surveillance and strike. The study confirmed that two of the three effect goals were achieved, with extended range beyond 40 kilometers and improved system availability and protection compared with the M109, while the third goal, controlling costs, remains unresolved due to incomplete ammunition deliveries and uncertain long-term expenditures. The evaluation emphasized the relevance of artillery in high-intensity conflicts, particularly in light of the Ukraine war, and identified advantages in acquiring a system of high technical maturity with low adaptation requirements, which minimized risks of delays and overruns.

Norway’s path to the K9 followed two unsuccessful artillery modernization attempts. A proposed exchange with the Netherlands for 18 Panzerhaubitze 2000 systems was cancelled in 2005, and Project P5439, a joint effort with Sweden to procure the Archer system, was terminated in 2013 due to performance, security, and cost concerns. In 2016, trials were conducted at Regionfelt Østlandet with systems from Hanwha, RUAG, KMW, and Nexter. The K9 demonstrated operational suitability in deep snow, reliable firing, and low technical failure rates, leading to its selection. Information from these trials was shared with Finland and Estonia, which later influenced their procurement choices. Norway had initially considered German-made alternatives before selecting the K9, but opted for the South Korean system after concluding it provided better performance under Norwegian conditions.

The K9 VIDAR is a Norwegian adaptation of the K9 Thunder equipped with a 155 mm L52 gun, capable of firing beyond 40 kilometers with Nammo’s 155 mm IM HE-ER ammunition, with maximum ranges under test conditions reaching 54 kilometers. The system can fire three rounds in 15 seconds, sustain up to eight rounds per minute, and relocate between firing positions in 30 to 60 seconds to reduce exposure to counter-battery fire. It is powered by a 1,000 hp diesel engine, has a maximum speed of 67 km/h, and uses a hydropneumatic suspension system for stability across terrain and weather conditions. The howitzer weighs approximately 48 tons, measures 12 meters in length, 3.4 meters in width, and 3.5 meters in height, and is operated by a crew of five. The VIDAR is compatible with sensor-fused BONUS munitions and is expected to integrate future ramjet-assisted rounds with ranges up to 100 kilometers. The K10 resupply vehicle, based on the same chassis, carries 104 rounds and can transfer twelve rounds per minute under armor to two K9s, maintaining operational tempo in poor visibility and harsh conditions.

Under the new contract, deliveries will be supported by an Integrated Logistics Support package that includes training and maintenance with Norwegian industry participation, while spare parts and specialized tools were already frontloaded during earlier phases to strengthen sustainment. Additional K9 VIDARs are scheduled to form part of a new artillery battalion within the Finnmark Brigade, established to reinforce defense in northern Norway near the Russian border. In December 2023, Norway and Finland signed an agreement allowing them to share K9 spare parts without prior approval from South Korea, reducing logistical timelines and strengthening operational availability among Nordic operators. Norway has also considered joint logistics with Finland’s Millog and integrated combat systems from Kongsberg shared with Finland.

Hanwha Aerospace views the third contract not only as reinforcement of its position in Norway but also as a step toward wider European opportunities. The company has pointed to prospects for its Chunmoo multiple rocket launcher system, noting that Norway expressed interest in the U.S. HIMARS but did not secure an agreement. Hanwha has also established production of the CGR-080 guided rocket in Poland for the Homar-K program, creating a base for further exports within Europe. The company acknowledges challenges posed by EU defense initiatives such as the European Defence Fund, EDIRPA, and SAFE, which prioritize European producers, but intends to continue targeting Nordic and wider European markets. Norway’s commitment to the K9 program on three separate occasions makes it the second European country, after Estonia, to do so. The resulting fleet of 52 K9 VIDARs and associated K10 vehicles will provide the Norwegian Army with expanded artillery capability supported by regional sustainment frameworks and NATO interoperability.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.