Key facts
- Type
- Self-propelled howitzer
- Place of origin
- South Korea
- In service
- K9: 1999–present , K9A1: 2018–present
- Used by
- See Operators
- Wars
- Korean conflict Bombardment of Yeonpyeong
- Designer
- Agency for Defense Development (main developer) Samsung Aerospace Industries (integration and production) Kia Heavy Industry (main armament) Dongmyeong Heavy Industries (turret and suspension) Poongsan Corporation (ammunition)
- Designed
- 1989–1998
- Manufacturer
- Samsung Aerospace Industries (1998–2000) Samsung Techwin (2000–2015) Hanwha Techwin (2015–2017) Hanwha Land Systems (2017–2019) Hanwha Defense (2019–2022) Hanwha Aerospace (2022–present)
- Unit cost
- 4 billion KRW (ROK Armed Forces, 2021)
- Produced
- K9: 1998–2018 , K9A1: 2018–present
- Number span no built
- 1,900 (2025)
- Variants
- See variants and upgrades
- Mass
- K9 & K9A1: 47 t (46 long tons; 52 short tons), combat K9A2: 48.5 t (47.7 long tons; 53.5 short tons), combat, with metal track
- Length
- Overall: 12 m (39 ft 4 in) , Hull: 7.44 m (24 ft 5 in)
- Width
- 3.4 m (11 ft 2 in)
- Height
- 2.73 m (8 ft 11 in)
- Crew
- K9 & K9A1: 5 (commander, driver, gunner, assistant gunner, loader) K9A2: 3 (commander, driver, gunner)
- Rate of fire
- 3 rds / 15 sec (burst), 6~8 rds / min (max), 2~3 rds / min (sustain)
via Wikipedia infobox
Wikidata facts
- Mass
- 47
- Image
- K-9thunder.jpg
- Height
- 2.73
- Width
- 3.4
- Length
- 12
- Speed
- 67
Show 2 more facts
- Commons category
- K9 Thunder
- service entry
- 1999-01-01
Sources (1)
via Wikidata · CC0
~40 min read
Article
The K9 Thunder (Korean: K-9 자주곡사포; Hanja: K-9 自走曲射砲; RR: K-9 Jajugoksapo) is a South Korean 155 mm self-propelled howitzer designed and developed by the Agency for Defense Development and private corporations including Samsung Aerospace Industries, Kia Heavy Industry, Dongmyeong Heavy Industries, and Poongsan Corporation for the Republic of Korea Armed Forces, and is now manufactured by Hanwha Aerospace. K9 howitzers operate in groups with the K10 ammunition resupply vehicle variant.
The entire K9 fleet operated by the ROK Armed Forces is now undergoing upgrades to K9A1, and a further upgrade variant K9A2 is being tested for production. As of 2022, the K9 series commands a 52% share of the global self-propelled howitzer market—including wheeled variants—for all systems delivered since 2000.