Arab Worldwide Optronics Firm has signed an settlement with South Korean protection firm Hanwha Protection Group for the switch of Expertise (TOT), native manufacturing of the Computerized Fireplace Management System (FCS) and different digital elements for the K9A1EGY 155 mm self-propelled howitzer. The manufacturing of the primary K9A1EGY is predicted in This autumn 2022 with armor metal offered from Bisalloy Metal. Egypt and South Korea signed a USD1.65 billion contract throughout the Worldwide Defence Exhibition & Convention (IDEX) held in Abu Dhabi in February 2021. The primary batch shall be delivered to Egypt till 2024, whereas the remaining shall be produced in Egypt with a localization charge of fifty%. Egypt is anticipating to extend localization to 67% in 5 years.
The K9 Thunder is a South Korean 155 mm self-propelled howitzer designed and developed by the Company for Protection Improvement and civil contractors together with Dongmyeong Heavy Industries, Kia Heavy Trade, Poongsan Company, and Samsung Aerospace Industries for the Republic of Korea Armed Forces, and is now manufactured by Hanwha Protection. As of 2022, the K9 collection has had a 52% share of the worldwide self-propelled howitzer market, together with wheeled autos, because the 12 months 2000. K9 howitzers function in teams with the K10 automated ammunition resupply automobile variant. All the K9 fleet operated by the ROK Armed Forces is now present process upgrades to K9A1, and an additional improve variant K9A2 is being examined for manufacturing.
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The 46.3-tonne K9A1EGY is designed to offer an armoured power with the oblique fireplace required to defeat conventionally geared up opponents. Fitted with a 360 levels rotating turret, the vary of the system utilizing customary ammunition is eighteen km, however this may be prolonged to 30 km by rocket assisted projectiles, or to 40.6 km utilizing superior base-bleed ammunition, and a high pace of 67 km/h. The brand new K11 fire-control automobile would even be developed for Egypt, which is able to obtain an preliminary batch of howitzers made in South Korea in 2024, with the remaining being domestically produced. K11 FDCV (Fireplace Route Management Car) is a fireplace route management automobile primarily based on K10 (automated resupplying automobile for K9 Thunder utilizing the identical chassis).
In 2010, K9 was evaluated by Egyptian army to interchange the 170 M109A5s in Egypt’s stock. Nonetheless, the deal was delayed as Egyptian authorities requested a discount on know-how switch charges, of which the Korean authorities had the possession, not the corporate. In April 2017, it was reported that Hanwha Techwin was in negotiations with Egypt to export its K9 Thunder self-propelled howitzer. A K9 howitzer was despatched to Egypt in July, and carried out test-firing at a variety positioned west of Cairo in August, together with different opponents together with French CAESAR, Russian 2S35 Koalitsiya-SV, and Chinese language PLZ-45. In the course of the take a look at, K9 hit the goal ship approaching to the shore, efficiently performing the entry denial in opposition to enemy ships for the Egyptian Navy.