K9 Thunder is korean bestseller

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According to information published by the South Korean Yonhap News Agency on February 1, 2022, South Korea signed a contract to sell K9 155mm tracked self-propelled howitzers to Egypt in a deal worth over US$1.65 billion

Citing the information from the South Korean Press agency Yonhap News Agency, the South Korean company Hanwha Defense, and Egypt's defense ministry inked the largest K9 export deal in the Artillery House, a military facility in Cairo. The deal includes the production of K9s in Egypt and a technology transfer, according to the South Korean Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA).

On January 21, 2022, Army Recognition has reported that South Korea and Egypt were on the final stage to conclude the acquisition of K9 Thunder 155mm tracked self-propelled howitzers.

With this contract, Egypt will be the first customer in the Middle East that will use the K9 155mm self-propelled howitzer. The South Korean K9 becomes one of the most popular tracked self-propelled howitzer in service with many countries over the world including Turkey, Poland, India, Norway, Finland, Estonia, and Australia. Currently, more than 1,700 K9 Thunder variants are in service.

The K9 nicknamed Thunder is a 155mm 52 caliber self-propelled howitzer fully designed and developed in South Korea by the company Hanwha Techwin, formerly known as Samsung Techwin. The first contract for the K9 artillery system was awarded to Samsung Aerospace Industries on 22 December 1998. The first howitzer was rolled out on 17 December 1999 and was fielded to the Republic of Korea Marine Corps in Yeonpyeongdo.

The K9 is based on a tracked chassis armored vehicle with a turret mounted at the rear of the hull. It has a crew of five including a driver seated at the front left side of the hull and four in the turret consisting of commander, gunner, assistant gunner, and ammunition loader.

The hull and the turret of the K9 are of all-welded steel armor construction providing protection against firing of small arms 14.5 mm armor-piercing rounds, explosion pressure and fragments of 155 mm HE (High Explosive) rounds and anti-personnel mines all around. The vehicle is motorized with an MTU MT 881 Ka-500 8-cylinder water-cooled diesel engine developing 1,000 hp. coupled to the Allison ATDX1100-5A3 transmission. It can run at a maximum road speed of 67 km/h with a maximum cruising range of 360 km.

The main armament of the K9 consists of one CN98 155 mm 52 caliber artillery gun manufactured by Kia Heavy Industry and has a maximum firing range of 40 km using K307 base bleed ammunition.

 
These look like M-109 clones, doubtless there is more to it than that. I am surprised that these fire support guns refer to a barrel length of L52 when the G Bull research suggested L55 was more efficient. I may be out of date though.
 
These look like M-109 clones, doubtless there is more to it than that. I am surprised that these fire support guns refer to a barrel length of L52 when the G Bull research suggested L55 was more efficient. I may be out of date though.

Can't speak to Bull's designs, but they are probably different from the NATO Joint Ballistics Memorandum of Understanding. The NATO JBMOU standard barrel lengths seem to be L39, L45, and L52 -- almost all modern 155mm guns are one of these lengths. The US Army is going a step further to L58 and Germany is proposing an L60.

Edit: The general configuration of K9 is obviously similar to the M109, but it's longer, wider, and heavier with substantially more engine power. Not quite a big as PzH2000, but close.
 
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These look like M-109 clones, doubtless there is more to it than that. I am surprised that these fire support guns refer to a barrel length of L52 when the G Bull research suggested L55 was more efficient. I may be out of date though.

Can't speak to Bull's designs, but they are probably different from the NATO Joint Ballistics Memorandum of Understanding. The NATO JBMOU standard barrel lengths seem to be L39, L45, and L52 -- almost all modern 155mm guns are one of these lengths. The US Army is going a step further to L58 and Germany is proposing an L60.

Edit: The general configuration of K9 is obviously similar to the M109, but it's longer, wider, and heavier with substantially more engine power. Not quite a big as PzH2000, but close.
Crusader's barrel was an L56 I believe. I'd love to read how they decided on that specific length for the AFAS project.
 
The AS9 variant ordered by Australia under Land 8116 Ph1 is the most advanced version of the K9 family:



 
 
they fill that sweet spot of having 80% capability of PzH 2000 while being half the price
 

They'd better get a move on. I just read that the UK is selling AS90s to Ukraine.
 

They'd better get a move on. I just read that the UK is selling AS90s to Ukraine.
that turned out to be incorrect reporting
 
Thanks for the update. It's getting hard to keep track of the stuff going to Ukraine. (Which may well be the point.)
 
Something I've heard recently. Anyone with knowledge can confirm?

K9A1 and A2 uses recon rounds (a round which has camera), GGBL (guided glider round with range 82-150km). However, these rounds are not made for export yet and only used in Korean army.

K9A2 is designed to outperform PhZ2000 on sustained firing rate. The bust TOT is 5 rounds, rapid rate is 10 rounds per minute and sustained rate of 6 rounds per minute. One technical difference is PhZ 2000 used the least amount of charge (1 cartridge) when recording these. K9 uses 3 charges.
 
recon rounds (a round which has camera), GGBL (guided glider round with range 82-150km). However, these rounds are not made for export yet and only used in Korean army.
Both of them are still not in use.

The recon round uses a paraglider + control fin + propeller configuration, unlike ALOR/Quickshot (which uses wings). It was a privately developed and offered product by Poongsan, and it's in-company underlying technology development has ended. They are trying to secure a government funding for the next phase of the development. Relay system for the communication between the recon round and the fire team/battery is in works for said reason (relay is needed for real-world application).

GGAM was scrapped, since it lacked range compared to newer NK rocket based artilleries. ROKA is focusing on a Excalibur-like guided round, ramjet round with technology commonality to the ramjet powered 239mm rocket rounds (so basically a Korean Ramjet 155 of Boeing/Namo) and a guidance fuse kit.
K9A2 is designed to outperform PhZ2000 on sustained firing rate. The bust TOT is 5 rounds, rapid rate is 10 rounds per minute and sustained rate of 6 rounds per minute. One technical difference is PhZ 2000 used the least amount of charge (1 cartridge) when recording these. K9 uses 3 charges.
Germans still have an edge on SCDB charge technologies, which is fundamental for higher sustained fire rate and longer barrel life. Besides, K9's reloading mechanism has its limitations after firing the first 3 rounds, which is one of the reasons K9A2 is being developed.
 
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cBbAaqOCMo

During a live-fire test at the US Army's Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona, in mid-September, Hanwha's K9 Thunder Self-Propelled Howitzer and K10 Ammunition Resupply Vehicle successfully proved their compatibility with US munitions, including 155mm M795 projectiles, XM1113 RAP, and MACS charges. The demonstration consisted of three events _ automated resupply of US projectiles by the robotic K10 ARV; firing of M795 projectiles to showcase K9's tactical Shoot-and-Scoot capability; and firing of XM1113 RAP, which successfully proved the K9 artillery solution's interoperability with US munitions and charges in addition to the extended range, shoot and scoot, and high rate of fire of the K9 system. For the Burst Fire and Rate of Fire capability, the 155mm/52-calibre K9 self-propelled gun fired six rounds in 43 seconds with minimal physical effort. The K9A1 also fired XM1113 RAP to a range in excess of 50km. This live demonstration was conducted under the Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) framework signed in 2020 with the aim of assessing the feasibility, performance, and capabilities of carrying and firing the US munitions by the Hanwha artillery platforms.
 

View: https://twitter.com/AndreasKrogDk/status/1622510835217170432?s=20


Aparently the Danish military lied to its parliament regarding their recent decision to purchase Israeli ATMOS. "K9 was allegedly too expensive and ita delivery too late" but "Hanwha has not been contacted" and 'has not provided any of thos information'
 
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Aparently the Danish military lied to its parliament regarding their recent decision to purchase Israeli ATMOS. "K9 was allegedly too expensive and ita delivery too late" but "Hanwha has not been contacted" and 'has not provided any of thos information'

Bad move on the part of Forsvaret (or FMN?). It would've been time better spent re-explaining to the Defence Agreement committees the distinction between wheeled and tracked howitzer systems.

Once defined, it would become obvious that the Atmos 2000s was a more direct replacement for the donated Caesars than would a tracked behemoth like the K9. Since Denmark only retired its last M109A3 in 2021, the issues/trade-offs would remain familiar to committee members. Or ... is Denmark having doubts about wheeled shoot-and-scoots versus heavier-armoured SPs?
 
Update for whom it may be of interest - found the figure in Chinese tank recognition guide. According to it the fuel tank capacity is 850 liters.
 

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