Hanwha Defense's K9 howitzer wins U.S. Army Mobile Tactical Cannon contract

The U.S. Army has chosen Hanwha Defense USA to advance to the next phase of its Mobile Tactical Cannon (MTC) program. The company will now provide prototypes of its wheeled 155mm K9 Mobile Howitzer for further testing, which could lead to its adoption as a replacement for the Army's existing towed 155mm M777 howitzers.

Contract Details

"The U.S. Army announced today an agreement with Hanwha Defense USA, Arlington, Virginia, for the development of prototypes for the Mobile Tactical Cannon program, a critical priority in the Army's ongoing continuous transformation and long-range fires modernization efforts," according to a press release issued by the service.

"Awarded competitively under an Other Transaction Authority (10 U.S.C. Section 4022), the firm-fixed-price agreement will provide the Army with up to 18 wheeled Self-Propelled Howitzer Systems for rapid prototyping, testing, and Soldier experimentation over an estimated four-year period of performance. The amount of this action is $100,302,961 with a total cumulative face value of $262,903,274."

Other Transaction Authorities (OTAs) are a contracting mechanism that U.S. government agencies regularly use to help accelerate advanced research and development and prototype efforts.

The K9 Mobile Howitzer

While the Army's release does not explicitly mention the K9 Mobile Howitzer (K9MH), also known as the K9A2, Hanwha Defense USA has confirmed that this is the design it will supply. The company had announced this would be its entry for the MTC competition back in March. American Rheinmetall, BAE Systems, General Dynamics Land Systems, and Elbit Systems USA had also been in the running.

"The agreement provides for the accelerated delivery of six prototype MTC systems, with an option for an additional 12. Soldiers will use these platforms in a series of operational experiments to assess performance, reliability, and supportability in realistic combat conditions," the release adds. "This Soldier-centric, experiment-driven approach reflects the Army's continuous transformation initiative to rapidly deliver lethal capabilities, incorporate immediate Soldier feedback, and adapt the force to pace emerging threats in multi-domain operations."

Design and Capabilities

The K9MH was developed from Hanwha's earlier tracked K9 design, variants and derivatives of which are already in service in South Korea, as well as Australia, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, India, Norway, Poland, and Turkey. Both the tracked and wheeled designs share the same 52-caliber 155mm cannon.

• Barrel length: A 52-caliber 155mm barrel is just under 26.5 feet long
• Comparison: The M777's barrel is 39 calibers long, or approximately 16.7 feet
• Range: Hanwha states the K9MH maximum range is just over 37 miles (60 kilometers), though it is unclear if this applies only with rocket-assisted or other specialized ammunition
• M777 range: The stated maximum range of the M777, even with specialized rounds, is just under 20 miles

As a self-propelled howitzer, the 8×8 K9MH offers integrated mobility over the towed M777, which requires a separate vehicle for transport. "Its emplacement/displacement times of under 30 seconds enables 'shoot and scoot' tactics," according to Hanwha's website.

The K9MH can carry 40 rounds of ammunition onboard and be rapidly reloaded in the field via a companion K10 resupply vehicle.

Manufacturing and Localization

"We're focused on creating a U.S.-anchored K9 Mobile Howitzer manufacturing network – with Opelika, Alabama, as the current phase I launch point – that can deliver advanced Mobile Tactical Cannons at the speed and scale the U.S. Army needs," said Jason Pak, Hanwha Defense USA's Senior Director for Land Systems.

"Hanwha's global supply chain and local production experience in Australia, Egypt, Poland and Romania demonstrate a proven commitment to local execution we're excited to bring to the U.S.," said Michael Coulter, Hanwha Defense USA CEO. "Localization is central to Hanwha's global business model, leveraging our global leading industrial technology and process in Korea to create sovereign industrial strength in the U.S., whether it be in shipbuilding, munitions or combat vehicles."

Background

The Army has been actively exploring the idea of replacing the M777 with a new wheeled self-propelled howitzer since at least 2019 and has conducted shoot-offs of various designs in the past.