Tag Archives: K9 Thunder

Ground Forces

Norwegian Thunder

Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency and Hanwha Land Systems signed a contract for the procurement of Artillery System 155-mm on December 20, 2017.

After Turkey and Finland, Norway is the third European country to select South Korea’s K9 Thunder 155-mm self-propelled guns to re-equip its artillery. It has ordered 24 vehicles for $226 million, with an option on 24 more (Norway MoD photo)
After Turkey and Finland, Norway is the third European country to select South Korea’s K9 Thunder 155-mm self-propelled guns to re-equip its artillery. It has ordered 24 vehicles for $226 million, with an option on 24 more (Norway MoD photo)

The Hanwha Land Systems K9 Thunder, is an off-the-shelf self-propelled gun system that satisfies the specific requirements and needs of the Norwegian Army. In addition, Hanwha Land Systems has demonstrated the ability to deliver in compliance with stated time and cost requirements.

«It has been essential for us to find the right artillery system with the highest degree of performance capabilities consistent with minimizing the lowest possible risk. Hanwha Land Systems was the Competitor with the greatest degree of compliance with the Norwegian Army’s requirements. The artillery system will become an important contribution to the Armed Forces’ operational ability», states the Head of Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency’s Land Systems Division, Brigadier General Morten Eggen.

The contract comprises of 24 self-propelled guns combined with designated ammunition resupply vehicles, with the option for another 24 self-propelled guns. The K9 Thunder 155-mm L/52 self-propelled gun is one of the worlds most utilised L/52 self-propelled guns, and exists in large numbers within the Republic of Korea and Turkey. Finland recently acquired the same system from the Republic of Korea Government.

A contract for logistic support, during the useful life of the materiel, together with a contract for the establishment of a Center of Excellence at Bjerkvik Technical Workshop were signed at the same time. The Center of Excellence contract involves that Hanwha Land Systems provides test equipment, training material in addition to the sharing of technical knowledge to Bjerkvik Technical Workshop in order to provide available systems and technical training throughout its useful life.

The Centre of Excellence will become central to the management of competence and operative availability, and will be able to offer services to partnering nations with a similar system.

A pre-series of the artillery system will be delivered for initial trials in 2019. The main delivery will be during 2020, with artillery battalion combat ready on the new system in 2021.

The total value for this acquisition is approximately 1.8 Billion NOK.

Ground Forces

Finnish Thunder

According to Finnish Broadcasting Corp., Finland will buy 48 used self-propelled howitzers from South Korea for 146 million euros. Besides the howitzers, the deal also includes training, spare parts and maintenance.

The Korean-designed K9 Thunder 155-mm self-propelled gun was evaluated in Finland’s Lapland, and its suitability to Finnish requirements confirmed (Finnish MoD photo)
The Korean-designed K9 Thunder 155-mm self-propelled gun was evaluated in Finland’s Lapland, and its suitability to Finnish requirements confirmed (Finnish MoD photo)

Defence Jussi Niinistö (Sannf) approved the purchase on Friday, February 17.

The new vehicles are to replace part of the Finnish army’s artillery park that will become obsolete in the 2020s and 2030s.

The first self-propelled guns will arrive in Finland next year and the final ones in 2024. Conscripts are scheduled to begin training in the new artillery system in 2019.

The Army tested the K9 Thunder self-propelled guns last year in Lapland. Their 155-millimeter (6.1 inches) guns have a range of about 40 kilometers/24.8 miles. They have a top speed of over 60 kilometers per hour/37 miles per hour.