South Korea's K9 Howitzer Wins U.S. Army Mobile Artillery Contract
The U.S. Army awarded Hanwha Defense USA a contract worth up to $262.9 million for up to 18 K9 Mobile Howitzer (K9MH) prototypes under the Mobile Tactical Cannon program. The wheeled 155mm system, derived from the tracked K9, will replace towed M777 howitzers. Six initial prototypes will be tested over four years, with manufacturing planned in Opelika, Alabama. This marks the first time a South Korean firm has secured a U.S. military program for a complete weapons system.
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South Korea's K9 Thunder 'Shoot-and-Scoot' Artillery Is Joining the US Army
The US Army's Mobile Tactical Cannon program has selected the Hanwha K9MH, a truck-mounted variant of South Korea's K9 Thunder self-propelled howitzer. The system features an unmanned turret with a 40-round magazine, automated reloading in 18 minutes, and a 30-second emplacement time for shoot-and-scoot operations. It can fire rocket-assisted projectiles to a range exceeding 37 miles, double that of the M109S. The initial $100.3 million contract covers six systems for testing, with options for up to 18. The K9MH requires only three crew members, compared to eight for the M777. If mass fielding proceeds, Hanwha would establish US production facilities, and the howitzers would first replace towed M777s in Stryker brigades. The selection comes amid political tensions between the Trump administration and South Korea.
Read sourceUS Army Selects Hanwha's K9 Mobile Howitzer for Prototype Testing
The US Army has selected Hanwha Defense USA's K9 mobile howitzer (K9MH) for prototype development under its Mobile Tactical Cannon (MTC) program. The fixed-price contract, valued at up to $262.9 million, includes delivery of six prototypes with an option for twelve additional units. The K9MH integrates the automated turret of Hanwha's tracked K9A2 self-propelled howitzer onto an 8x8 truck chassis, featuring a 155mm CN98 gun with a rate of fire of 8-9 rounds per minute and a range over 60 km. The MTC program aims to replace towed M777 howitzers in Stryker Brigade Combat Teams. Hanwha plans to establish a US integration and testing facility in Opelika, Alabama, as part of its localization strategy. Other competitors in the program included Rheinmetall/KNDS, BAE Systems, and KNDS/Leonardo DRS.
Read sourceUS Army Selects Hanwha's K9 Mobile Howitzer for MTC Prototype Development
The US Army has selected Hanwha Defense USA (HDUSA) for prototype development under its Mobile Tactical Cannon (MTC) program, awarding a fixed-price contract valued at $100.3 million (total up to $262.9 million) for up to 18 wheeled 155mm self-propelled howitzers. The K9MH integrates the automated turret of Hanwha's tracked K9A2 with a 155mm CN98 gun on an 8x8 truck chassis, offering a rate of fire of 8-9 rounds per minute and a range over 60 km. The program aims to replace towed M777 howitzers in Stryker Brigade Combat Teams. HDUSA plans to establish a US integration facility in Opelika, Alabama, as part of a phased localization strategy. Other MTC participants include Rheinmetall/KNDS, BAE Systems, KNDS/Leonardo DRS, and General Dynamics.
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Hanwha wins US Army contract for K9 Mobile Howitzer prototypes
Hanwha Defense USA (HDUSA) has secured its first major contract with the US Army, valued at up to $262.9 million over four years, to supply prototype K9 Mobile Howitzers (K9MH) for the Mobile Tactical Cannon (MTC) programme. The agreement includes six prototype systems with an option for 12 more. These will undergo field experiments to evaluate performance and reliability, potentially replacing M777 towed artillery in some units. Hanwha is establishing a facility in Opelika, Alabama, for integration and testing, leveraging its global production experience in Australia, Egypt, Poland, and Romania to bring jobs and advanced manufacturing to the US.
Read sourceHanwha Defense USA wins US Army contract for K9 Mobile Howitzer prototypes
Hanwha Defense USA (HDUSA) has secured its first major contract with the US Army to supply prototype K9 Mobile Howitzers (K9MH) for the military's Mobile Tactical Cannon (MTC) programme. This marks a significant milestone for the South Korean defense company in entering the US market, as the K9 howitzer is a well-established artillery system used by multiple countries. The contract involves providing prototypes for testing and evaluation under the MTC program, which aims to modernize US Army mobile artillery capabilities.
Read sourceSouth Korea’s K9MH Wheeled Howitzer Makes US Army Debut in Bid for Major Artillery Modernization Program
On August 18, 2026, the U.S. Army awarded Hanwha Defense USA a $100.3 million contract to deliver prototype K9 Mobile Howitzers (K9MH) for testing under the Mobile Tactical Cannon (mTC) program. The agreement, with a total ceiling of $262.9 million, covers six initial K9MH 8x8 wheeled artillery systems with options for 12 more, enabling a four-year operational evaluation. The K9MH combines a Tatra chassis with a K9A2-derived automated turret, 40-round magazine, and CN98 52-caliber cannon capable of firing nine rounds in 59 seconds. This marks the first time a South Korean defense company has secured a U.S. military program for a complete weapons system. The mTC program aims to replace approximately 500 M777 towed howitzers, with the K9MH competing against Elbit America's Sigma, BAE Systems' Archer, American Rheinmetall/KNDS' RCH 155, and Leonardo DRS/KNDS Caesar. The award initiates a competitive experimentation phase, not a final production decision.
Read sourceSouth Korea's Hanwha wins U.S. Army contract for wheeled howitzer prototypes
Hanwha Defense USA has secured its first major U.S. Army contract to deliver six prototype K9 Mobile Howitzers (K9MH) for the Army's Mobile Tactical Cannon program, with an option for 12 additional units. The wheeled howitzer mounts the K9 artillery system on an 8x8 Tatra chassis and will be integrated at a new facility in Opelika, Alabama. The contract follows a year-long campaign by Hanwha to position the system for the U.S. Army. The K9MH features an automated ammunition handling system that increases sustained rate of fire to over nine rounds per minute. The Army's evaluation will include live-fire demonstrations and compatibility testing with U.S. systems. Hanwha has fielded over 2,500 K9 howitzers globally and plans to establish a U.S.-based manufacturing network. The award is part of Hanwha's localization strategy to strengthen the U.S. defense industrial base.
Read sourceSouth Korea's K9 Mobile Howitzer Wins U.S. Army Mobile Tactical Cannon Contract
The U.S. Army has selected Hanwha Defense USA to advance to the next phase of its Mobile Tactical Cannon (MTC) program, awarding a firm-fixed-price agreement worth up to $262.9 million for up to 18 wheeled 155mm self-propelled howitzer prototypes. The K9 Mobile Howitzer (K9MH), derived from Hanwha's tracked K9 design, will replace the Army's towed M777 howitzers. The K9MH offers a maximum range of over 37 miles (60 km), compared to the M777's under 20 miles, and features rapid emplacement/displacement times under 30 seconds for shoot-and-scoot tactics. The contract includes six initial prototypes with an option for 12 more, to be tested over four years. Hanwha plans to establish U.S. manufacturing in Opelika, Alabama, leveraging its global supply chain experience in Australia, Egypt, Poland, and Romania.
South Korea's K9 Mobile Howitzer Wins U.S. Army Mobile Tactical Cannon Contract
The U.S. Army has selected Hanwha Defense USA to advance to the next phase of its Mobile Tactical Cannon (MTC) program, awarding a firm-fixed-price agreement worth up to $262.9 million for up to 18 wheeled self-propelled howitzer prototypes. Hanwha will supply its K9 Mobile Howitzer (K9MH), an 8x8 wheeled 155mm system derived from the tracked K9 design, to replace the Army's towed M777 howitzers. The K9MH offers a maximum range of over 37 miles (60 km), rapid emplacement/displacement under 30 seconds, and carries 40 rounds onboard. The contract includes six initial prototypes with an option for 12 more, to be tested over four years. Hanwha plans to establish U.S. manufacturing in Opelika, Alabama, leveraging its global supply chain. Other competitors included American Rheinmetall, BAE Systems, General Dynamics, and Elbit Systems.
South Korea's Highly Mobile 155mm Artillery System Wins U.S. Army Howitzer Contract
The U.S. Army has selected Hanwha Defense USA to advance to the next phase of its Mobile Tactical Cannon (MTC) program, awarding a firm-fixed-price agreement worth up to $262.9 million for up to 18 wheeled 155mm K9 Mobile Howitzer prototypes. The K9MH, developed from Hanwha's tracked K9 design, offers a 52-caliber barrel with a maximum range of over 37 miles, significantly outperforming the current M777's 20-mile range. The wheeled self-propelled howitzer can emplace and displace in under 30 seconds, enabling shoot-and-scoot tactics, and carries 40 rounds onboard. The Army will conduct rapid prototyping, testing, and soldier experimentation over four years, with potential localization of manufacturing in Opelika, Alabama. This selection does not guarantee full fielding but represents a critical step in the Army's long-range fires modernization.