Australia selects Hanwha as preferred supplier of 155 mm self-propelled howitzers
The cost of the initial phase of the project is estimated at between $658 million and $950 million, with delivery of the first vehicles expected around 2025
Eyal Boguslavsky
| 07/09/2020
A K9 self-propelled howitzer. Photo: Hanwha Defense
Australian Defense Minister Linda Reynolds announced last week that Hanwha Defense Australia (HDA) has been selected as the preferred supplier to the Australian Army of 30 K9 155 mm self-propelled howitzers (SPHs) and 15 K10 armored ammunition resupply vehicles. HDA is a wholly owned subsidiary of South Korea’s Hanwha Group.
According to Australia’s 2020 Force Structure Plan, which was released in July, the cost of the initial phase of the project is estimated at between AUD900 million and AUD1.3 billion (USD658 million and USD950 million), with delivery of the first vehicles expected around 2025.
According to Reynolds, an additional fleet of SPHs and support vehicles will be delivered in the late 2020s, while a mid-life upgrade will begin in the 2030s to provide an opportunity to incorporate emerging technologies. Indicative costs of Phase 2 and Phase 3 in the 2020 Force Structure Plan are set at AUD1.5-2.3 billion and AUD2.1-3.2 billion, respectively.
The cost of the initial phase of the project is estimated at between $658 million and $950 million, with delivery of the first vehicles expected around 2025
A K9 self-propelled howitzer. Photo: Hanwha Defense
Australian Defense Minister Linda Reynolds announced last week that Hanwha Defense Australia (HDA) has been selected as the preferred supplier to the Australian Army of 30 K9 155 mm self-propelled howitzers (SPHs) and 15 K10 armored ammunition resupply vehicles. HDA is a wholly owned subsidiary of South Korea’s Hanwha Group.
According to Australia’s 2020 Force Structure Plan, which was released in July, the cost of the initial phase of the project is estimated at between AUD900 million and AUD1.3 billion (USD658 million and USD950 million), with delivery of the first vehicles expected around 2025.
According to Reynolds, an additional fleet of SPHs and support vehicles will be delivered in the late 2020s, while a mid-life upgrade will begin in the 2030s to provide an opportunity to incorporate emerging technologies. Indicative costs of Phase 2 and Phase 3 in the 2020 Force Structure Plan are set at AUD1.5-2.3 billion and AUD2.1-3.2 billion, respectively.
