The South Korean company Hanwha Aerospace has begun production of a wheeled variant of its self-propelled howitzer K9 Thunderaccording to The Defense Post. This new version, whose testing will begin at the beginning of 2026represents an important evolution of one of the most exported artillery systems in the world.
He K9 on wheelsderived from K9A2 of 155mm with 52-caliber cannon, improves mobility and operational flexibility for customers operating in regions with well-developed road networks. Unlike the K9 with tracksused by several armies, the new model is an adaptable platform that can mount on different heavy truck chassis.
The new system, with a 58-caliber, 9-meter-long cannonholds the record for longest artillery gun ever made. Thanks to this, you can shoot at more than 70 kilometersalmost double the range of today’s standard 155mm howitzers. It should be noted that, in the context of artillery, calibers, in the plural, does not refer to the diameter of the bore (155 mm in this case), but to the length of the tube expressed in multiples of that diameter.
According to the company, the long-range system is designed to respond to the growing demand for highly mobile and long-range artillery in a context in which modern armies adapt to faster, networked combat environments.
This news comes after Hanwha lost the competition for the MRAS (Multi-Role Artillery System or Multirole Artillery System) of the United Kingdom at the beginning of this year, in front of the RCH 155 of KNDS. Hanwha began development of the wheeled K9 in mid-2024 to better position itself in upcoming international artillery programs, especially in USA.
An earlier attempt by the US Army to develop a .58 caliber cannon, known as ERCA (Extended Range Cannon Artillery), was finally scrapped due to problems with excessive barrel wear and high costs.
Now, the subsidiary Hanwha Defense USA is trying to win over United States Armywhich is evaluating options to modernize its 155mm artillery fleet. In 2024, Hanwha was one of five companies selected to propose self-propelled howitzer technologies within its long-term modernization plan. The South Korean company has offered the wheeled K9 in response to a request for information from the US Army about a mobile tactical cannon. Hanwha has also said it is willing to adapt its tracked version of the K9 to meet specific requirements.
The company is committed to establishing a domestic production line and supply chain if you get a contract, which fits with the objective of the Pentagon to strengthen internal manufacturing capacity.
‘We are absolutely committed to employment and industrial capacity in the US. We can offer fast initial delivery of K9 units from Korea if necessary, followed immediately by Complete production and maintenance in the United States‘, he stated Jason Paksenior director of ground systems business development at Hanwha Defense USA.
The company is also developing a US-specific fire control system and promises future upgrade options as more advanced versions of the K9 platform are introduced.