The model of the latest version of the K9 Thunder cannonhaubica presented Hanwha Aerospace during this year's arms fair in Kielce. K9A2 differs from its predecessors with an automatic charging strategy that allowed to increase the velocity of fire and reduce the number of soldiers in the crew.
Model of K9A2 cannonhaubic.
K9 is simply a well-known product in Poland. In 2022, the Armed Forces Agency concluded a framework deal with the Koreans, which assumes the transportation of 672 self-propelled cannonohabics. – So far, we have supplied the Polish army with about 170 vehicles in the K9A1 version. In the next year, K9 will be delivered in the Polishized version of PL – explains Michał Karwacki, the K9 task manager at Hanwha Aerospace Europe.
Realization: Łukasz Zalesinski, Paweł Sobkowicz
Meanwhile, International Defence manufacture Salon In Kielce, the Korean company presented the latest product of the series – the K9A2 cannonhaubic. – The A1 version differs from the automatic charging system. This solution increases the fast fire rate of the cannonhaubic. Additionally, it allows to reduce the number of soldiers in the crew. It shrinks from 5 to 3 people, which is vital in the field of combat. In this way we hazard the lives of less qualified personnel," Karwacki points out.
The another main parameters of the vehicle stay unchanged. K9 Thunder is equipped with 155-millimeter cannon and large caliber device guns 12.7 mm. It can harm targets by up to 40 km and at the same time is very mobile – it develops speeds up to 67 km/h, and its operational scope is 480 km. K9 besides has armor that protects against shrapnel of artillery shells and anti-personnel mines, as well as the fire of dense device guns. In Poland, the A1 version of the cannonhaubice went to 1 The Mazury Artillery Brigade and 1st Warsaw Armored Brigade. This kind of vehicle is besides utilized by the troops of India, Australia and Norway.
“The K9PL version, which the soldiers will shortly receive, will have a conventional charging system,” Karwacki admits. However, news will appear elsewhere. “When we were developing the project, we focused primarily on cooperation with the Polish arms industry. For example, the Polishization will include filtration systems and a laser defence strategy – the task manager mentions
