Last week, the Norwegian army has taken delivery of the first K9 155mm tracked self-propelled howitzer and K10 ARV Armored Resupply Vehicle. On December 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.

New Norwegian army K9 155 mm self-propelled howitzer on tracked armored chassis. (Picture source Twitter account Forsvarsdepartement)

The contract also includes the artillery howitzer K9, ammunition and K10 resupply armored vehicles will reach an amount of $383 million. A total of 24 K9 155mm howitzers and six K10 ammunition resupply vehicles were ordered by Norway.

This is the second Scandinav country after Finland that has purchased the South Korean K9 155mm tracked self-propelled howitzer. In February 2017, the Finnish defense minister Jussi Niinistö has announced the purchase of 48 South Korean K9s artillery howitzers for a total amount of €146 million ($155 million).

The K9 155mm tracked self-propelled in now in service with South Korea, India, Poland, Finland, Estonia, Norway and Egypt has performed evaluation test of the K9.

The K9 nicknamed Thunder is a South Korean 155mm self-propelled howitzer based on tracked armored chassis developed by Samsung Techwin for the Republic of Korea Armed Forces and now manufactured by Hanwha Land Systems.

The main armament of the K9 Thunder consists of a 155 mm/52 caliber ordnance with a maximum firing range of 40 km. A total of 48 projectiles and their associated charges are carried for ready use. Internally an automatic loading system takes projectiles from the storage position and places them onto the ammunition tray ready for ramming.

This self-propelled howitzer has a crew of five, consisting of commander, driver, gunner, assistant gunner, and loader.

The K10 ARV is an ammunition resupply armored vehicle responsible for re-arming the K9 Thunder. It is built upon the K9's chassis. Maximum transfer rate of shells is 12 rounds per minute, and the maximum load of shells is 104 rounds.

The reloading process is fully automated. The reloading is done through a munition bridge on the K10 that extends out to lock itself into a reception hole located at the rear of the K9. This allows the unit to rearm itself under harsh combat conditions without the crew having to expose themselves to the combat environment.

New Norwegian army K10 ARV 155 mm Armored Resupply Vehicle. (Picture source Twitter account Forsvarsdepartement)