ADEX 2025 – Hanwha K9 Thunder SP howitzer evolution
At the Seul exhibition Hanwha exhibited the full range of models of its K9 Thunder artillery system, allowing to detail the evolution of this self-propelled howitzer which has been widely sold internationally, looking to future autonomous and longer-range solutions
With nearly 2,000 howitzers delivered and around 900 more being produced, Hanwha K9 Thunder is definitely one of the most successful indirect fire effectors, the company being fully involved in its evolution, which might well end up into a futuristic very long barrel autonomous system.
The Republic of Korea Army (ROKA) is of course the main user, with 1,090 howitzers in service, part of them being upgraded, to the A1 and A2 standard. Eleven other nations are using or have ordered the South Korean SP howitzer. Turkey is locally producing a version of the K9 known as Firtina (storm), a Firtina 2 upgraded version being under production, for a total of 281 Firtina 1 and 140 Firtina 2. Poland, which needed quick deliveries considering the situation at its eastern border, has a mix of former ROKA refurbished howitzers, new systems produced in South Korea, and locally produced K9s known as Krab; 54 howitzers were transferred to Ukraine, which received 54 more howitzers from Warsaw.
The Finnish Army acquired two batches of 48 K9A1 Moukari (sledgehammer) each from the ROKA, which were refurbished before delivery and are named Vidar. The same is true for Estonia, which fields in total 36 Köu (sky). India has in service 100 K9A1 Vajra-T, 10 of them delivered from ROK, and is producing a second batch of 100 more howitzers. Australia is producing 28 K9A1plus 15 K10 resupply vehicles, the first two K9A1 having been produced in Korea. The same is true for Egypt which will soon receive 216 K9A1, 39 K10 and 51 K11 fire direction vehicles, all assembled locally, part being destined to the Navy, the first export of the naval version, to be used as an anti-access/area denial weapon along the country coasts. Romania will produce locally 36 K9A1 Tunet (Thunder) and 24 K10, 18 K9A1 and 12 K10 being delivered from ROK. Finally, Vietnam is awaiting delivery of 20 K9A1. With new orders ready to be signed and new improvements, Hanwha, originally Samsung Aerospace Industries, is ready to overcome the 3,000 K9 mark, a new version being added, the K9MH wheeled SP howitzer, which model was unveiled in mid-October 2025 at AUSA in Washington DC, the same model being exhibited at ADEX in Seoul.
The original K9 was delivered to the ROKA since the turning of the century. In the late 2010 the A1 upgrade package was approved which included an improved automated fire control system, the addition of a GPS to the INS navigation system, a new thermal vision night driving system replacing the former image intensification one, and the installation of an auxiliary power unit, allowing to cut off the engine when in firing position reducing thermal and acoustic signature, and increasing range. Most export K9s are at the K9A1 standard, and the great majority of those serving with the ROKA are being upgraded. Some of these are however being brought straight to the A2 standard.
The main improvement is the adoption of a fully automated autoloader, dealing both with ammunition and charges. This not only allows reducing the crew from five to three members, but also increases the maximum rate of fire to 9 rounds per minute for 3 minutes, 50% more compared to the A1. This is allowed by the upgraded 155/52 mm gun, which barrel produced by Hyundai WIA has its life extended by 50% up to 1,500 effective full charge (EFC) rounds, while also increasing potential range. All 48 ammunition are now hosted in the turret, readily available to the autoloader, which requires the adoption of the modular charge system, based on insensitive charges, which improve safety, together with the upgraded antimine protection and the shift of turret actuators from electro-hydraulic to fully electric. Self-defence is increased thanks to the adoption of a remotely controlled weapon system (RCWS) installed over the turret. Composite rubber tracks are being proposed, which reduce mass by around 2 tonnes; compared to the 47 tonnes K9A1 combat mass the K9A2 climbs at 48.5 tonnes with steel tracks, composite tracks allowing to bring back the mass under the 47 tonnes mark. At ADEX 2025 Hanwha representatives confirmed that the K9A2 development will be finalised by 2027.
However, development does not stop here. Two different paths lay ahead, the wheeled K9MH and the potentially autonomous K9A3.
As anticipated the K9MH, for Mobile Howitzer, was unveiled at AUSA 2025 and showcased again at ADEX in Seoul, always as a model. Hanwha is developing a lightweight turret with modular mechanical and electrical interfaces to allow it to be fully platform agnostic, the aim being to provide it to a foreign customer that will integrate it on a nationally produced truck platform, reducing logistic footprint and increasing work localisation. The system, the 8×8 truck plus turret, will have a combat mass of less than 40 tonnes, the crew being the same of the K9A2, the autoloading system making firing operations fully autonomous, therefore 2-3 military hosted in the truck armoured cabin will be sufficient to operate the SP howitzer. The turret shape is pretty different from that of the tracked SP howitzer, more parallelepipedal, and is located over the two rear axles of the truck.
Four outriggers can be seen at the four corners of the rear platform, however the first round can be fired within 20 seconds since the howitzer comes to a static position, versus 30 seconds of the K9A1, both systems taking 50 seconds to get on the move once the firing mission is completed. Maximum rate of fire for 3 minutes is 8 rpm. Compared to the K9 tracked versions the MH carries 40 rounds instead of 48, and 192 charges versus 240. Where the system is a winner is mobility, at least on road, with a maximum speed of 100 m/h versus 60 km/h, and a range of 700 km versus 360 km. According to a document provided by the South Korean Defence Acquisition Program Administration, the K9MH development programme was launched in December 2024 and will last 30 months, ending in June 2027.
The third iteration of the K9, the K9A3, further pushes the crew reduction down to a single military, although a fully autonomous version is also considered. This will certainly leverage from the work done by Hanwha on autonomous land vehicles, some of them being unveiled at ADEX 2025. The A3 turret has a different look from current ones, with an inclined front, and is armed with a 58-calibre barrel that will certainly increase range, no data being provided. EDR On-Line tried to understand how much the Poonsang 155 ramjet project has advanced since ADEX 2023, but no information was provided. The K9A3 retains an RCWS installed on the right side of the turret.
Beside the model of the K9A3 that of a K11 fire control vehicle was displayed. According to information obtained at ADEX, this will host six to eight military; beside managing fire missions, they will also be able to control up to three fully autonomous K9A3 SP howitzers. The K11 model featured an RCWS mounted in the centre of the turret, while on the right a twin missile launcher was visible, which might also be used to launch loitering munitions. According to Hanwha no timeline has yet be established for the K9A3 development.
Meanwhile the South Korean company continues its export promotion campaigns. The failed operation to sell the K9 to Saudi Arabia has restarted; the previous attempt was stopped due to the German embargo on the MT 881 Ka-500 diesel engine, however now a national option is available, in the form of the SMV 1000 engine, the number indicating the output in horsepower, developed and produced by STX. In September 2024 a demonstration was carried out in Saudi Arabia, a delegation of the Saudi National Guard visiting South Korea two months later, which led to a restart of negotiations in March 2025. Canada is another potential customer; in April 2025 Hanwha responded to the Request for Information for the Canadian SPH modernisation and took part in CANSEC exhibition one month later. Negotiations with Spain started in September 2025, following contacts with Spanish companies. Last but not least come the United States; in November 2024 the K9/K10 system was demonstrated to the US Army on the Korean Anheung Proving Ground, and Hanwha will take part in the SP howitzers performance test and evaluation event that will take place in Q3/26 at the Yuma Proving Ground, in Arizona.
All in all, the K9 saga seems pretty far from being finished.
Photos courtesy Estonian MoD, Finnish MoD, P. Valpolini
