Hanwha wins US Army K9 prototype contract

Hanwha Defense USA has been selected by the U.S. Army to provide K9-based self-propelled howitzer prototypes for the Mobile Tactical Cannon program, with multiple sources noting accelerated delivery of six prototypes and an option for additional units as the Army tests performance in realistic conditions. The contracts report potential values ranging from about $233 million to $262.9 million, and some descriptions indicate up to 18 prototypes could be provided over a multi-year testing and evaluation phase. The program aims to replace older towed and tracked howitzers, including the M777 and M109A7, by adopting a wheeled, mobile system built on the K9 platform, branded as the K9MH for the U.S. Army. Hanwha is pursuing localization in the United States, including establishing an integration and test facility in Opelika, Alabama, to assemble and test the prototypes. Analysts and industry observers highlight this as a historic milestone—the first time a finished weapons system from a South Korean company is exported to the world’s largest defense market—and emphasize potential follow-on mass production if trials succeed. The effort underscores Hanwha’s broader strategy to expand its global footprint in the self-propelled howitzer market, leveraging the K9 platform’s demonstrated performance and existing export success in multiple countries.