Australian Military Selects K-9 Self-Propelled Howitzer Again After 10 Years

Hanwha Techwin's K-9 Self-Propelled Howitzer

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] The K9 self-propelled howitzer developed by South Korea will be exported to the Australian military. This comes 10 years after Australia established its artillery modernization plan.

On the 3rd, Hanwha Defense announced, "The Australian government has selected the K9 self-propelled howitzer as the sole candidate for the Australian Army's self-propelled artillery acquisition project."

Hanwha Defense, the manufacturer of the K9 self-propelled howitzer, plans to sign a mass production contract with the Australian government after proposal evaluation and price negotiations. Thirty K9 self-propelled howitzers and fifteen K10 ammunition resupply armored vehicles will be delivered. The Australian government's project budget is approximately 1 trillion KRW.

This export of the K9 self-propelled howitzer is the first in 10 years. In June 2010, the Australian military selected the K9 self-propelled howitzer as the preferred negotiation candidate for the self-propelled artillery acquisition project under the 'LAND 17 Project,' part of its artillery modernization plan. The German company, which competed until the final stage, withdrew from submitting a detailed proposal. However, the project was delayed as the Australian government prioritized budget allocation for flood recovery in Queensland in January 2011. At that time, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd highly praised the performance of the K9 self-propelled howitzer during a summit with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, who was on a state visit to Australia in March of the same year, expressing intent to purchase.

There are about 1,700 K9 self-propelled howitzers in operation worldwide, including in South Korea. Starting with Turkey in 2001, they have been exported to Poland, India, Finland, Norway, Estonia, and others. The K9 self-propelled howitzer is a 155mm 52-caliber artillery piece. The shells fired from its 8-meter-long barrel can travel up to 40 km. The K9 is equipped with automated fire control systems and ammunition transfer and loading devices. It can fire shells within 30 seconds after receiving a firing command, up to 3 rounds within 15 seconds, and 18 rounds continuously over 3 minutes. It is capable of operating in various terrains including mountainous regions like those in Korea, as well as snowfields, jungles, and deserts.

Lee Sung-soo, CEO of Hanwha Defense, said, "The decision to adopt the K9 in Australia is a valuable achievement of Korea-Australia defense and defense industry cooperation and a testament to the technological capability and reliability of South Korea’s defense industry. We will do our best to contribute to the revitalization of the Australian defense industry through close communication and cooperation with the Australian government, including establishing local production facilities and workforce training."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.