On October 19, an preliminary batch of 24 K9PL self-propelled howitzers (SPHs) was rolled outto be despatched to Poland. The K9PL is predicated on the K9A1 variant that options enhancements resembling automated fireplace management, driver evening imaginative and prescient periscopes, and auxiliary energy items. The roll-out ceremony was held at Hanwha Protection’s Manufacturing unit 1 in Changwon, some 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, as a part of the primary government contract signed in mid-August. In the course of the occasion, all of the 24 K9PL autos had been lined up on the positioning, whereas a K9PL led the parade of superior fight autos, constructed by Hanwha Protection, together with the K10 Ammunition Resupply Automobile; K77 Hearth Path Heart Automobile; K21 Infantry Preventing Automobile; Korean Amphibious Assault Automobile; and Arion-SMET Unmanned Floor Automobile.
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 Business, Poongsan Company, and Samsung Aerospace Industries for the Republic of Korea Armed Forces, and is now manufactured by Hanwha Protection. K9 howitzers function in teams with the K10 automated ammunition resupply car variant. The whole K9 fleet operated by the ROK Armed Forces is now present process upgrades to K9A1, and an extra improve variant K9A2 is being examined for manufacturing. As of 2022, the K9 collection has had a 52% share of the worldwide self-propelled howitzer market, together with wheeled autos, because the yr 2000.
Commercial
On 27 July 2022, Polish Armaments Group (PGZ) and Hanwha Protection signed a framework settlement to provide 672 K9A1 and K9PL. Hanwha Protection hopes to develop the deal plus including K10 self-propelled howitzers and K11 assist autos. Poland may even produce AHS Krab in parallel; nonetheless, because of the low manufacturing functionality, the deliveries of the present order can be accomplished by 2026. On 26 August 2022, an government contract of $2.4 billion was signed to accumulate 212 K9A1s manufactured by Hanwha Protection as a primary batch order. The deal doesn’t embody accompanying autos; nonetheless, it consists of crew coaching, together with simulators, logistics packages, and a considerable amount of ammunition.
To match the supply time, the primary 48 howitzers–12 upgraded autos and 36 to be refurbished to K9A1s–can be transferred from the Republic of Korea Military stock. The ROKA can be compensated with newly produced autos by the tip of 2023. All howitzers can be outfitted with Polish communication system and Topaz Automated Hearth Management Package, which is meant for working with Polish command autos. Supply will begin between 2022–2026. Poland plans to construct K9PL regionally afterward by way of know-how switch for the second batch. On 7 September, Hanwha Protection and WB Electronics signed a $139.5 million deal for set up of Polish communication methods on the primary batch order.
