Hanwha’s K9 Artillery: Seamless Integration with US Ammunition Demonstrated
On September 14th, South Korea’s premier defense firm Hanwha Defense Co.—through its U.S. subsidiary Hanwha Defense USA—and the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Armaments Center (DEVCOM AC), successfully verified the compatibility of the K9 Thunder Self-Propelled Howitzer (SPH) and K10 Ammunition Resupply Vehicle (ARV) with a range of U.S. munitions.
Observed by over 60 guests from the U.S. Army and allied nations, the live-fire demonstration occurred at Yuma Proving Ground, AZ, where Hanwha’s artillery solutions —K9A1 SPH and K10 ARV—loaded and discharged various types of U.S. ammunition, such as 155mm M795 projectiles, XM1113 Rocket Assisted Projectiles (RAP), and Modular Artillery Charge System (MACS) charges.
The exhibition encompassed three key events—automated resupply of U.S. projectiles by the K10 ARV; the discharge of M795 projectiles to illustrate K9A1’s Shoot-and-Scoot, Burst Fire, and Rapid Fire capabilities; and finally, the firing of XM1113 RAP from the K9A1 SPH.
The demonstration commenced with the automated loading of U.S. munitions into the K10 ARV, as the attendees observed the compatibility of both M795 and XM1113 with K10’s automated ammunition handling system, facilitating the efficient resupply of the self-propelled gun without manual intervention.
The K9A1 showcased its renowned ‘Shoot-and-Scoot’ capability, firing multiple M795 projectiles and promptly relocating, highlighting the vehicle’s agility to evade potential counterfire.
During the Burst Fire and Rate of Fire segments of the event, the 155mm/52-caliber artillery, operated by Hanwha’s gun crew, discharged three rounds in 16 seconds and six rounds in 45 seconds, respectively, requiring minimal physical exertion. In the final segment, the K9A1 fired XM1113 RAP, achieving a range exceeding 50 km.
This marked the first instance where the U.S. Army tested the XM1113 with a foreign artillery system.
This live demonstration was held under the Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) established in 2021, aimed at evaluating the feasibility, performance, and capacity of delivering and firing U.S. munitions by the Hanwha artillery platforms.
“The demonstration successfully met all its CRADA goals, demonstrating the full interoperability of K9 and K10 vehicles with U.S. munitions and charges, along with the extended range, shoot-and-scoot, and high rate of fire capabilities of the K9 system,” stated John Kelly, President and CEO of Hanwha Defense USA. “Collaboration with DEVCOM AC and the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command (ATEC) at Yuma has been exceptional.”
The vehicles showcased in the demonstration will be featured at the 2022 AUSA Annual Exhibition & Conference in Washington, DC, along with further discussions with DEVCOM AC and the Army regarding future collaboration possibilities.
The 155mm/52-caliber K9 Thunder is the globe’s foremost tracked self-propelled howitzer, with over 1,700 units in operation across nine nations. The howitzer can deliver consistent, precise, rapid impacts at ranges exceeding +40km with high rates and volumes of fire.
Aiming for advancements, the K9A1 version is undergoing modifications to upgrade to the newer K9A2 variant, which features a fully automated ammunition handling system. The autoloading K9A2 can fire over nine rounds per minute, manned by just three crew members.
