At booth A14 in Hall 1, the South Korean manufacturer showcased two new artillery systems. The proposed deep modernization of the tracked 155 mm K9A1 Thunder howitzer, designated K9A2, according to information obtained by the editorial team of MILMAG portal, is expected to feature a fully automated loading system.
Photos: Jakub Link-Lenczowski, MILMAG
The K9A2 crew will consist of three soldiers: a driver, a commander, and a gunner (with the obvious absence of a loader). The autoloader provides a sustained rate of fire of 10 rounds per minute, with the ability to switch between different types of ammunition. The turret-mounted autoloader holds 40 rounds, with an additional 8 rounds stored in the hull. The firing range increases from 40 km to 54 km thanks to a longer 58-caliber barrel, compared to the 52-caliber barrel of the K9A1.
The vehicle is equipped with a laser warning receiver, counter-unmanned aerial vehicle systems, and an auxiliary power unit (APU) mounted at the rear. The turret drives are electric. The navigation system, as in the K9A1, combines GPS GNSS satellite navigation with an inertial navigation system (INS).
The K9A2 is also currently offered in the United States under the SPH-M program.
The second model is a wheeled chassis version of the howitzer, in this case developed with the Czech company Tatra Defence Vehicle. The turret module is narrower than in the tracked version, and due to the absence of a traditional hull, the ammunition supply amounts to only 40 rounds.
Hanwha Aerospace representatives declared the possibility of integrating the TOPAZ fire control and command system, produced by WB Group, with both the tracked and wheeled versions.
The wheeled howitzer concept, the so-called “shooting truck,” was unveiled in July last year during the Defense Quality Conference 2024 held in the Republic of Korea. The K9A2 package, in turn, is to serve as the baseline proposal for the Polish K9PL variant.
