In the early 1980s, the South Korean arms industry, which developed as rapidly as the another branches of the economy, started producing artillery themselves. After experience with the licenced production of 155mm M109A2 cannons (Korean designation K55), production of towed haubic 105mm KH178 and 155mm KH179 began in the early 1980s. However, as early as the late 1980s, there was a request to replace the ageing self-propelled K55. The South Korean Defence improvement Agency (ADD), defined the parameters of the fresh combat vehicle- the vehicle was to have a higher scope of fire, higher velocity and mobility compared to K55.
Haubica was to make and produce Samsung Aerospace Industries (now Hanwha Defense), whose representatives visited British company Vickers in September 1990 to get acquainted with the AS-90 cannon-haubice produced there. However, the Koreans could not number on technology transfer, although the British offered them a licence for their product. After this decision, ambitious Asians decided to plan a fresh cannonhaubica by their own industry, all the more so due to this decision there was experience in building their own K1 tank.
Source: WikipediaThe plan of the tank utilized an electrohydraulic lifting strategy and tower drive devices, but problems with the large jet power of the designed 155mm weapon with a dimension of 52 calibres (similar problems appeared in the German Panzerhaubit 2000 designed at the time), however, engineers from ADD and Seoul National University of discipline and Technology concluded that the configuration of the opposition strategy would be possible without major changes in the first design.
From 1992 to 1993, the individual components of the fresh structure were tested and the fresh car was proven to be correct, the engineers examined and confirmed the required operational capabilities of the future drum, including the anticipation of reaching maximum fire scope of up to 40 km. Meanwhile, it was decided to make its own 155mm ammunition designs. To shorten the time of improvement of the fresh car, it was decided that the engine, transmission and INS (inertial navigation system) would be purchased abroad, besides for the hydropneumatic suspension unit was purchased in the United States. As far as the engine is concerned, a proven German STX-MTU MT881Ka-500 motor with a power of 1000 hp (735 kW) was selected, licensed by Ssangyong dense Industries (now STX Engine). With the engine, the American transmission Allison Transmission X1100-5A3 produced in South Korea under licence by Tongil Precision Machinery Industries (now SNT Dynamics). The CN98 155 mm and 52 caliber cannonhaubic, developed and manufactured by Kia dense manufacture (now Hyundai WIA), was selected as the main weapon. The scope of CN98 fire is typically 40 km (K307, K9). Thanks to the semi-automatic feed system, modern fire control and tactical command strategy (BTCS), a fresh vehicle, marked K9 Thunder (pol. Thunder) is able to accomplish maximum velocity of up to 3 missiles in the first 15 seconds, with the choice of rocket programming in combat mode, simultaneous multiple rocket strikes (MRSI), then you can fire from 6 to 8 missiles/min for the first 3 minutes, then 2 to 3 missiles/min during long-term fire. The vehicle has the ability to fire the opponent's positions in motion, but then the velocity of fire is 1 shot per minute, which compensates for the hard tracking of the car by the opponent and the retaliatory fire.
The first 3 prototypes of the fresh Korean construction began investigating in 1996 and during their course they managed to launch six rounds per minute at a distance of 40 km. On December 5, 1997, 1 of the prototypes was damaged by fire after an effort to test the anticipation of firing 18 missiles in the first 3 minutes (the origin was not entirely burned out), as a consequence of the accident 1 of the engineers was killed and 3 remaining wounded. Interestingly, the vehicle was repaired after the crash and returned to further tests. 3 prototypes fired a full of 4100 missiles and drove 13800 km during mobility tests, including in utmost weather conditions, ranging from highly low to advanced air temperatures. After 10 years of improvement of cannon-haubics, during which a full of about 12,000 missiles were fired and over 18,000 km, a decision was made on 12 October 1998 to start mass production at Samsung Aerospace Industries, with which the applicable contract was signed on 22 December 1998. The first recipient of the fresh K9 Thunder cannonhaubic became the Korean Marine Corps, due to a tense situation in the north of the country, where the main forces, intended to be counterweight to the northern opponent's urges, were just this kind of armed force of the Republic of Korea.
The first vehicle was transferred on December 17, 1999 to a Marine unit in Yeonpyeongdo. In total, between 1999 and 2017, 1136 K9 and 179 self-propelled K10-car ammunition vehicles were sent to the Korean armed forces based on the same chassis. On September 19, 2011, the K9 upgrade program was announced to the K9A1 version. The modernisation focused on replacing the Fire Management strategy (SKO), which was defined as not gathering the expectations of armed forces in the close future regarding the modernity of components (a peculiar emphasis was placed on the computer).
On August 18, 2017, DAPA announced approval for the serial production of the upgraded K9. The improved K9A1 received a new, automatic SKO with GPS and INS systems, an improved driver night-time periscope with thermal camera, reverse camera, and a fresh driver safety system. A 10 kW auxiliary powertrain (APU) is besides fitted by Farymann & TZEN co, Ltd. The A1 version besides has the ability to shoot fresh ammunition with increased range. Individual vehicles will be improved during renovations that began in 2018.
The first K9A1 was delivered to the Army of the Republic of Korea on 22 August 2018. Armatohaubica, unlike tanks, turned out to be a Korean export hit. In 1995, Turkey decided to make its own artillery constructions of the next generation, and thanks to cooperation with the Republic of Korea, an agreement was rapidly signed, concerning the fresh construction being developed there. In Turkey, the car received the name T-155 Firtin and received a fresh tower of Turkish construction, produced in 1010 Military Equipment Repair Factory, on a modernized Korean chassis. Artillery armaments are a licensed, first construction from the Republic of Korea CN98 155 mm from the K9 barrel. A full of 281 T-155 Firtin cannons were produced and delivered from 2005 to 2010.
After many years and failed attempts to make its own chassis to the Krab Cannoneer, Poland utilized the serially manufactured plan of Samsung Techwin (until 2015, later Hanwha Techwin 2015–2017, then Hanwha Land Systems 2017–2019 and yet Hanwha Defense). Finally, on December 17, 2014, the Polish Ministry of Defence announced an agreement worth US$320 million to acquisition 120 K9 Thunder chassis, the first 24 being delivered in 2017 and 96 will be built under licence in Poland from 2018 to 2020. On 27 July 2022, in accordance with the signed framework agreement between the Polish Armed Forces Group (PGZ) and Hanwha defence from 2022, Poland will acquisition 48 K9A1 and 624 Polishized K9PL (total 672 K9). Interestingly, the number of ammunition vehicles K10 and K11 are besides inactive unknown within the expectations of the Polish armed forces.
Returning to K9 Thunder, a Korean weaponry plan was besides adopted in respective another countries. Finland announced on February 17, 2017 that it would buy 48 second-hand K9 and the deliveries would start in 2017. Later, 10 additional cars were ordered. There is inactive an option to acquisition an additional 38 haubic from the first contract.
Then June 26, 2018, Estonia signed an agreement with South Korea to acquisition 12 utilized K9 self-propelled Haubics, with an additional option for 12 artillery systems. The contract besides includes training, maintenance and spare parts. The acquisition of an additional 6 haubic was announced in October 2019. transportation began in 2020.
During the 2018 Defexpo military fair, 10 Haubic K9 were contracted and assembled by the L&T in India and subsequently donated to the Indian Army. The remainder of the contract for 100 copies, was produced by Larsen & Toubro for the Indian Army already as K9 Vajra-T. By February 2021, all 100 pieces were delivered, however, the Indian army tries to order an additional 200 K9 Vajra-T.
Norway chose K9 Thunder to replace SPH M109A3GNM, which were upgraded, were 1 in service since the 1960s. Finally, 24 K9 and 6 K10 ammunition trucks were purchased, with an option for a further 24 K9 and additional K10. transportation began in 2019. 4 K9 and 6 K10 were then ordered.
Australia besides decided in 2019 to build 30 self-propelled Haubic named AS9 Huntsman and 15 AARV AS10 under licence in Geelong.
The last user of K9 is Egypt, which signed a $1.6 billion export contract with Hanwha defence on February 1, 2022. This contract includes the production of K9A1 vehicles under license, along with technology transfer from Hanwha defence and ADD.
For the Republic of Korea, K9 Thunder's export success was contingent on a circumstantial approach to the issue of licensing its product by the Korean government. An affordable price, excellent plan and openness to licensing, allowed the South Korean arms manufacture to get a circumstantial and hard NATO market.
Text and graphics: Jarosław Janas
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