| Wikipedia: K9 Thunder |
| K9 Thunder | |
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 K9 Thunder |
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| Type | Self-Propelled Howitzer |
| Place of origin |  South Korea |
| Service history | |
| Used by | See Operators |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Samsung Techwin |
| Designed | 1989-1998 |
| Manufacturer | Samsung Techwin |
| Produced | 1999-present |
| Variants | K10, T-155 'Firtina' (Storm) |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 47 tonnes (K9) 56 tonnes (T-155 'Firtina') |
| Length | 12 m |
| Width | 3.4m |
| Height | 2.73m |
| Crew | 5 (Commander, Driver, Gunner, 2 Loaders) |
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| Rate of fire | 6~8 round/min (Maximum) 2 rounds/min (Sustained) 3 rounds in 15.0 seconds (Burst) |
| Maximum range | 30,000 m (HE) 38,000 m (DP-ICM base bleed) 41,600 m (Extended range full-bore-base) 52-56,000 m (BB+RAP extended range) |
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| Primary armament |
52 cal (155mm howitzer) |
| Secondary armament |
12.7 mm (.50 caliber) K6 HMG |
| Engine | MTU MT 881 Ka-500 8-cylinder water-cooled diesel 1000 hp |
| Power/weight | 21 hp/ton |
| Suspension | hydropneumatic |
| Operational range |
480 km |
| Speed | 66 km/h |
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The K9 Thunder is an indigenous South Korean self-propelled 155 mm howitzer developed by Samsung Techwin.
Contents |
General characteristics
K9 is an indigenous system of an all-welded steel armour construction which is rated to withstand impact by 14.5 mm armour piercing shells and 152 mm shell fragments. The main armament consists of a 155 mm/52 caliber ordnance with a maximum firing range of 40 km. State-of-the-art mobility subsystems include a 1,000 horsepower (750 kW) engine with potential for growth and hydropneumatic suspension unit, a requirement for Korea's rugged mountainous terrain.
It was designed to give the artillery wing of the Republic of Korea Army a significant improvement in capability. With a claimed range of 40 km, it offers greater mobility, longer range, higher rate of fire, and increased battlefield survivability as it can quickly be brought into action, open fire and come out of action. Consequently, it is less likely to be engaged by counterbattery fire, relying on shoot-and-scoot.
The unit also supports full NBC protection.
Time-On-Target
The K9 has the ability to fire its shells in time-on-target mode. In the TOT mode, the K9 is able to lob three shells in under 15 seconds--1 shell every 5 seconds--each in different trajectories so that all of the shells will arrive on their target at the same time, creating three times the effect that of previous generation artillery systems.
History
The development program of this 155 mm/52-caliber self-propelled howitzer has been underway since 1989. In 1996 the first prototype of this new artillery system was tested. The contract for the new K9 artillery system was awarded to Samsung Aerospace Industries (SSA) by the Korean Government on 22 December 1998. The contract, the Republic of Korea Army received the first production batch of K9 from prime contractor SSA in 1999.
Turkey has licensed the design of the K9 and used it to develop their indigenous self-propelled howitzer, the T-155 Firtina. See T-155 Firtina below for more information.
The K9 is also one of the three contenders for SPH part of Australia's Land 17 Artillery Replacement Program, facing off against Krauss-Maffei Wegmann's PzH 2000 and Denel's G-6.
Variants
K10 Ammunition Resupply Vehicle (ARV)
The K10 is a ammunition resupply vehicle responsible for re-arming the K9 Thunder. It is built upon the K9's chassis. Conventional munition carrier/replenisher for field artillery units are often wheeled cargo trucks that can be hampered by rough terrain and harsh environment, as well as crews who have to expose themselves and manhandle the shells, making them vulnerable to counterbattery fire. The K10, however, is fully tracked and enjoys the same mobility that K9 has, and can follow along the main artillery battery without lagging behind.
The reloading process is fully automated, and neither of the crews in the K9 or K10 have to expose themselves in order to re-arm. The reloading is done through a munition bridge on the K10 that extends out to lock itself into the square hole located at the rear of the K9. This allows for the unit to re-arm itself under harsh conditions where crews' exposure to the environment poses a significant risk, such as nuclear, biological or chemically contaminated areas.
T-155 Fırtına (Storm)
T-155 Fırtına (Turkish for Storm) is the Turkish version of the Korean designed K9 Thunder. Though the production of the howitzers took place within Turkey, the production rights and design belong to Samsung Techwin, the manufacturer of the K9.
Operators
- Republic of Korea Army
- K9 (300+)
- K10
- Republic of Korea Marine Corps
- K9 (8)
- K10
- Turkish Army
- T-155
External links
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