With greater than 1,700 variants of the K9 Self-Propelled Howitzer (SPH) in service with 9 nations, there’s a rising want for artillery customers to share their experiences and know-how of working the world’s most confirmed artillery answer. Producer of the K9 SPH, Hanwha Protection has despatched out an invite to the armies of the K9 consumer nations, together with Finland, Norway, and Estonia. Australia, which signed a contract in December 2021 to supply the AS9 Huntsman, was additionally invited to the upcoming occasion. Such a gathering is deliberate to happen often with a rotating host. The primary assembly of the K9 Person Group might be held this April within the metropolis of Changwon, the house turf of the K9 Thunder in South Korea. Delegates on the assembly would come with representatives from the armies, logistics, and upkeep organizations of the member nations, whereas native business companions associated to the provision and manufacturing of the K9 SPHs have additionally been invited to the Changwon assembly to deal with potential alternatives for industrial cooperation.
“The K9 Person Membership assembly in Changwon might be an inaugural occasion for the K9 customers to be taught from one another and share expertise on get the very best out of the gear and practice greatest for the artillery answer,” stated Pasi Pasivirta, European enterprise improvement director of Hanwha Protection. “All members can reap the benefits of the venue to seek out the optimized operation and sustainment doctrine of the K9 artillery gun with their data and know-how.”
Commercial
One of many native business companions, Australia’s Common Movement Simulation specialised in creating automobile movement simulators can have a possibility to pitch their driving simulation answer and functionality. In 2021 the corporate signed an MoU with Hanwha Protection Australia for involvement in worldwide markets for the K9 SPH. The K9 consumer assembly is to have a number of working group periods, akin to on operation, coaching, and upkeep, the place every participant can share its distinctive expertise and data accrued from the operation of the K9 artillery answer. Developed in 1998 by the South Korean Company for Protection Improvement and Hanwha Protection, the K9 was designed primarily to satisfy the tactical idea of “Shoot & Scoot,” which suggests a gun strikes to a firing place to finish a hearth mission after which leaves the firing place earlier than an enemy can counter it.
The 47-ton K9 has a firing vary of 40+ km with standard 155 ammunition and it could possibly transfer as quick as 67 km/h. Geared up with an automated hearth management system, the howitzer can hearth inside 30 seconds from a stationary place and inside 60 seconds whereas on transfer. A burst price of fireplace of three rounds could be achieved in lower than 15 seconds, with a most price of fireplace from six to eight rounds per minute constantly for 3 minutes. The K9 is by far the world’s hottest self-propelled howitzer as 9 nations South Korea, Turkey, Poland, India, Finland, Norway, Estonia, Australia, and Egypt have launched the artillery system. Australia and Egypt are the newest clients of the K9. Australia signed a $US730-million-worth contract in December 2021 to domestically produce 30 AS9 Huntsman SPHs and 15 Armoured Ammunition Provide Automobiles beneath the LAND 8116 venture. Egypt inked a $US1.7 billion contract in February 2022 to introduce tons of of K9A1EGY SPHs and different assist autos.
