Artillery / Self-propelled howitzers / K9 Thunder
K9 Thunder
General Facts
- TYPE
Self-propelled howitzer - ORIGIN
South Korea - NICKNAMES
T-155 Firtina (Turkish production)
Thunder (nickname) - DESIGNED
1989 - 1996 - DESIGNER
Samsung Techwin - PRODUCTION
1998 - present - PRODUCERS South Korea - Samsung Techwin
Turkey - QUANTITY
Well over 800 ordered - UNIT COST
$3.1 million for K9 - CHARACTERISTICS
Long range
High rate of fire
Good mobility
Expensive
Introduction
The K9 is a modern self-propelled howitzer of South Korean origin. It was developed in the early 1990's as alternative for the US M109 with longer range and higher rate of fire. The K9 is also known nicknamed the Thunder.
Layout
The K9 has a conventional layout for a tracked self-propelled howitzer with the driver and engine located in the front of the hull and a large turret located at the rear. The long 155mm ordnance has a multi-slotted muzzle brake and looks rather similar to the one used on the PzH 2000. The Turkish T-155 Firtina has been derived from the K9 design.
Firepower
The main armament is a 155mm L/52 howitzer which provides a good range and accuracy. The maximum rate of fire is 3 rounds in 15 seconds, 6 to 8 rounds per minute or about 2 rpm during sustained fire. Standard 155mm NATO rounds can be fired up to 30 km, a 42 km range is achieved with ERFB rounds and in theory rocket assisted projectiles can be fired out to 52 to 56 km range.
Protection
The K9 is well protected. The steel armor protects the crew from 14.5mm rounds over the frontal arc and small arms fire and shell splinters all around.
Mobility
The tracked chassis provides good mobility on roads and in the field. The MTU 1.000 hp diesel engine provides a maximum speed of 67 km/h on roads.
Users
The one and only user of the K9 is South Korea. A modified version is produced under license in Turkey as the Firtina.
K9 Thunder
The K9 is the original and most numerous version of the K9. It can be distinct from the T-155 Firtina by the shape of its turret.
T-155 Firtina
The T-155 Firtina is a modified version of the K9. It uses most of the automotive components and the same gun assembly but has a larger turret with more equipment. The main differences are the fire control and navigation systems.
K10
The K10 is an ammunition resupply vehicle which is based on the same chassis as the K9. It features a fixed superstructure with ammunition conveyor belt arm instead of the howitzer. It carries a total of 104 rounds and possesses the same mobility as the K9. For use with the T-155 Firtina a similar type of vehicle was developed.