Hanwha will supply the U.S. Army with prototypes of the K9MH wheeled howitzers
South Korea’s Hanwha Aerospace has signed its first major contract with the U.S. Army to supply prototypes of the K9MH wheeled self-propelled howitzers. They will be tested as part of the Mobile Tactical Cannon program, which aims to replace the towed M777 howitzers with a mobile 155-mm artillery system, according to the Korea Herald.
Hanwha’s U.S. subsidiary, Hanwha Defense USA, signed the agreement with the U.S. Army on Tuesday. It calls for the delivery of six prototypes for the Mobile Tactical Cannon program, with an option to order 12 additional systems. The initial contract value is $100.3 million and could rise to $262.9 million if the option is exercised, according to a separate statement from the U.S. Army.
The U.S. Army plans to acquire up to 18 wheeled self-propelled howitzers for accelerated prototyping, testing, and experimentation involving military personnel. This phase is expected to last about four years. Service members will evaluate the systems’ performance, reliability, and maintainability under conditions close to combat.
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The test results will determine whether the system will proceed to full-scale deployment. If so, the Mobile Tactical Cannon will replace the M777 in some U.S. Army units, providing them with greater mobility and survivability.
Hanwha proposed the K9MH—a wheeled artillery system based on the K9 self-propelled howitzer—for the program. Unlike the base tracked version, the K9MH features a wheeled chassis. In April, Hanwha Defense USA also leased a production facility in Opelika, Alabama, for three years, which is set to become the U.S. integration and testing center for the K9MH.
According to industry estimates in South Korea, the potential production requirement could be around 500 systems worth approximately 10 trillion won, or $7.14 billion. However, the U.S. Army has not yet finalized the procurement quantities or the cost of the future program. K9 systems have already been exported to 10 countries, including Poland, Romania, Norway, and Finland.
