On Friday, July 3, 2026, Warsaw-based Hanwha Aerospace Europe (HAEU) announced on social media that the first K9PL self-propelled howitzers contracted under the second executive agreement had left its parent company Hanwha Aerospace’s Changwon facility and begun their journey to Poland.
Photos: Hanwha Aerospace Europe
“This is another important stage in the implementation of the K9 program, which covers not only deliveries of modern artillery systems, but also the development of industrial cooperation, technology transfer, and the gradual increase of the Polish industry’s share, up to K9 production in Poland. This is a special moment for HAEU and for our colleagues at Hanwha’s production facility in Changwon, who today marked the start of K9PL deliveries under EC2 with a modest ceremony,” ‒ says the company post on the X social media platform.
The last year deliveries of 212 K9A1 Thunder howitzers were completed under the first agreement of August 26, 2022, worth 2.4 billion USD net (11.38 billion PLN net / 13.99 billion PLN gross): February 21 – eight units; May 23 – 18 units; July 14 – six units; August 27 – 15 units; November 16 – 21 units; and December 16 – 14 units, including six in this variant under the second executive agreement. In total, 218 self-propelled guns were delivered to Poland.
Then, on December 1, 2023, the aforementioned six additional K9A1s and 146 Polonized K9PLs were ordered, with deliveries scheduled for 2026–2027, and on December 2, 2024, the Ministry of National Defence announced the start of the order’s implementation.
The agreement also covered a training and logistics package and the delivery of a significant stockpile of 155 mm ammunition, amounting to several tens of thousands of rounds. The logistics package includes a stock of spare and replacement parts and consumables, as well as equipment for howitzer maintenance. In addition, as part of the technology transfer, technical documentation will be provided and industrial capacity will be established for the military and industry, including maintenance, repair, overhaul, modernization, and the production of selected structural components of the howitzer by Polish defense industry entities.
The K9PL variant is expected to include, among other features, the OBRA-3 laser warning system with smoke grenade launchers, as well as an automatic fire and explosion suppression system, filtration and ventilation systems, air conditioning, additional crew displays, and relocation of the auxiliary power unit to the chassis.
On July 27, 2022, a framework agreement was concluded with the then Hanwha Defense, now Hanwha Aerospace, with the aim of acquiring a total of 672 K9A1 and K9PL self-propelled howitzers, along with a training and logistics package, an ammunition stockpile, and manufacturer technical support. So far, 364 units have been contracted, slightly more than 54% of the agreement’s scope.
In turn, on December 23, 2024, the ministry signed an agreement with Huta Stalowa Wola, in cooperation with Rosomak, for the delivery of more than 250 support vehicles for these guns, including command vehicles, ammunition vehicles, artillery vehicles, Armament and Electronics Repair Workshop vehicles, technical support vehicles, and heavy-duty trucks. On May 30 this year, the agreement was amended under the SAFE program, with its value amounting to approximately PLN 7.6 billion net.
Meanwhile, in recent days, reports have also emerged that the first K2 Black Panther tanks from the second executive agreement with Hyundai Rotem for 180 vehicles, including K2PL variants, are also on their way to Poland. They will join the 180 tanks already delivered, out of 1,000 planned.
Pierwsze Samobieżne Armatohaubice #K9PL zakontraktowane w ramach drugiej umowy wykonawczej opuściły zakład #HanwhaAerospace w Changwon i rozpoczęły podróż do Polski.
To kolejny ważny etap realizacji programu K9, obejmującego nie tylko dostawy nowoczesnych systemów… pic.twitter.com/mLyznVDc1M
— Hanwha Aerospace Europe (@HanwhaEurope) July 3, 2026