Hanwha Aerospace to Supply Next-Generation Self-Propelled Howitzers to the U.S. Mainland

A Historic First: Exporting a “Complete Weapon System” to the U.S.

The K9 wheeled self-propelled howitzer (K9MH) is conducting a firing test at the Agency for Defense Development test site. Photo by Hanwha Aerospace

The U.S. Army has selected Hanwha Aerospace as the prototype manufacturer for its next-generation wheeled self-propelled howitzer program. By outpacing global defense companies such as Germany’s Rheinmetall and the UK’s BAE Systems, Hanwha has set a historic milestone as the first to export a fully developed weapon system to the United States. Industry observers also view this as a positive signal for securing large-scale mass production orders.

On August 18 (local time), the U.S. Army announced that it had signed a contract with Hanwha Defense USA to supply prototypes of the K9 mobile howitzer for use in its self-propelled howitzer modernization program.

The U.S. Army said, “This contract accelerates the introduction of six MTC (Mobile Tactical Cannon) prototypes, and includes an option for an additional 12 units.” The Army added, “Troops will utilize this platform in a series of operational experiments to evaluate its performance, reliability, and maintainability under combat conditions.”

The MTC program is being promoted to replace the U.S. Army’s current M777 155mm towed howitzers. The goal is to procure wheeled self-propelled howitzers that can move and redeploy quickly after firing, in contrast to traditional towed artillery.

Hanwha proposed the K9MH (K9 Mobile Howitzer) through its U.S. subsidiary. The K9MH is a 155mm self-propelled howitzer that incorporates the firepower system technology already being operated in K9 systems worldwide into a wheeled platform. Unlike the tracked K9, the new model features a turret mounted on a highly mobile wheeled vehicle, providing significant advantages for long-distance travel and rapid deployment.

If it passes the testing and evaluation phase over the next three years, Hanwha would have the opportunity to secure not only subsequent mass production orders but also contracts for ammunition, maintenance, and logistics support. Depending on the outcome of the evaluation, it could lead to a full-scale mass production project in the future. The final procurement quantity is estimated to be about 500 units, and the scale of the main contract has been estimated at around 10 trillion won.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.