On Sunday, 16 November 2025, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz announced on social media that a shipment containing the fifth batch of 155 mm K9A1 Thunder self-propelled howitzers this year had arrived in Poland from the Republic of Korea.
Photos: Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz via X
“Another delivery of equipment for the Polish Armed Forces this week. Twenty-one K9 howitzers have been delivered to the 16th Mechanized Division and the Rocket and Artillery Training Center in Toruń. We now have over 200 K9 self-propelled howitzers. More will soon be gradually entering service in our units,” the Deputy Prime Minister wrote on the X social media platform.
As a result, the total number of K9A1 guns in the Polish Armed Forces now stands at 204 units. Earlier deliveries this year took place on: 21 February (8 units), 23 May (18 units), 14 July (6 units), and 27 August (15 units). The deliveries are being carried out under the contract signed on 26 August 2022, worth 2.4 billion USD net (11.38 billion PLN net / 13.99 billion PLN), concluded with Hanwha Defense (now Hanwha Aerospace). Under this contract, 212 K9A1 howitzers are to be delivered between 2022 and 2026 (which means 8 howitzers remain to be delivered).
Subsequently, on 1 December 2023, an additional 6 K9A1s and 146 Polish-configured K9PLs were ordered, and on 2 December 2024 the Ministry of National Defence announced that execution of this order had begun. In turn, on 23 December 2024, the ministry signed a contract with Huta Stalowa Wola for the delivery of more than 250 support vehicles for these guns.
The K9 Thunder is a South Korean self-propelled howitzer mounted on a tracked chassis. Its main armament is a 155 mm, 52-calibre gun which, depending on the type of ammunition used, enables precise fire at ranges exceeding 40 km. The K9’s armour provides protection against small-arms fire and artillery shrapnel. It is powered by a 1,000 hp diesel engine with an automatic transmission, ensuring high speed and mobility in all types of terrain. The howitzer weighs 47 tonnes. The K9A1 version features a number of improvements. The main focus was on increasing the effectiveness and range of fire to 54 km, enhancing situational awareness, and improving crew comfort. The howitzers receive Polish communication and fire-control systems. WB Group supplies the Fonet communication system and the Topaz fire-control system.
This year, two batches of AHS Krab howitzers from HSW also entered service: on 25 August and 24 September, with 8 units each (a total of 34 additional units of this type are planned for delivery this year).
‼️Kolejna w tym tygodniu dostawa sprzętu dla #WojskoPolskie. 21 haubic K9 trafiło do @16Dywizja oraz Centrum Szkolenia Wojsk Rakietowych i Artylerii w #Toruń. Mamy już ponad 200 haubic samobieżnych K9. Kolejne już wkrótce będą sukcesywnie trafiały na wyposażenie naszych jednostek… pic.twitter.com/5ILATb7NWW
— Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz (@KosiniakKamysz) November 16, 2025
