Design and configuration
A long gun extends beyond the forward hull when stowed for travel. The crew operates within the turret and hull, unlike open-deck truck-mounted guns.1
FORCETALLY
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ArtilleryIn serviceProfile in progress
The K9A1 is a modernised tracked 155 mm howitzer. It combines an enclosed turret with a mobile armoured chassis and a support system built around ammunition replenishment.
South KoreaK9 Thunder
대한민국 국군 Republic of Korea Armed Forces · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Resized · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Source ↗ · ModifiedSelf-propelled howitzer
South Korea
K9: 1999–present K9A1: 2018–present
See Operators
Korean conflict Bombardment of Yeonpyeong
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)
1989–1998
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)
4 billion KRW (ROK Armed Forces, 2021)
K9: 1998–2018 K9A1: 2018–present
1,900 (2025)
See variants and upgrades
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
Overall: 12 m (39 ft 4 in) Hull: 7.44 m (24 ft 5 in)
3.4 m (11 ft 2 in)
2.73 m (8 ft 11 in)
K9 & K9A1: 5 (commander, driver, gunner, assistant gunner, loader) K9A2: 3 (commander, driver, gunner)
3 rds / 15 sec (burst) 6~8 rds / min (max) 2~3 rds / min (sustain)
18 km (M107, HE) 30 km (M549A1, RAP/HE) 36 km (K310, BB/DP-ICM) 41 km (K307, BB/HE) 54 km (K315, LAP/HE)
Panoramic scope (manual mode) Safran MINEO DFSS (option)
POSCO MIL-12560H armor steel (South Korean produced variants only, after 2022) Bisalloy armour steel (foreign licensed variants, after 2022) Spall liner (option) Plasan add-on armor (option)
Hyundai WIA CN98 155 mm 52 caliber, 48 rounds
SNT Dynamics K6 12.7x99 mm NATO HMG
STX Engine/ MTU Friedrichshafen MT881Ka-500 8-cylinder water-cooled diesel engine 735 kW (1,000 hp) @ 2,700 rpm STX Engine SMV1000 8-cylinder water-cooled diesel engine 735 kW (1,000 hp) @ 2,700 rpm (available since 2024)
21.3 hp/t (15.88 kW/t)
SNT Dynamics / Allison Transmission X1100-5A3 4 forward, 2 reverse
Mottrol /Horstman Hydropneumatic Suspension Unit (HSU) Travel distance: ≤ 275 mm Dead weight: 40–45 kN
410 mm (16 in) longitudinal slope: 60 % lateral slope: 30 % vertical: 0.75 m trench: 2.8 m fording: 1.5 m
850 L (225 U.S. gal)
360 km (220 mi)
67 km/h (42 mph)
Reference text from Wikipedia contributors, used under CC BY-SA 4.0.
The system in detail
A long gun extends beyond the forward hull when stowed for travel. The crew operates within the turret and hull, unlike open-deck truck-mounted guns.1
K9A1 upgrades concern navigation, control and vehicle operation. Ammunition choice determines range; the gun designation alone does not establish one universal maximum.1
This record covers K9A1. Customer derivatives and the K9A2 automatic-loading development should not share a merged crew or performance specification.1
Burst rate and sustained fire are different quantities. Comparisons also need ammunition type, replenishment arrangements and cooling or maintenance limits.1
K9 Thunder equipment records. Variants, orders and quantities are shown as reported in each inventory source; coverage is incomplete.
AustraliaReported count for AS9 Huntsman / AS10. Service scope: Australian Army; does not replace a national total. 2 distinct quantity component(s) from the same source list; shared rowspan cells counted once. Explicit source inventory scope: ordered; no other stock status or total inferred. Count column(s): number: +24 / number: +14. Origin: South Korea. The listed variants/roles are the scope, not an immediately deployable count. Dates are the count-cell citations' stated source period (2026), not the article revision. Cited source 2026-08-12. Edition or publication years do not claim an exact inventory census day.
Egypt
EstoniaArmy exact named equipment holdings: K9 Thunder. Active, operational-reserve and training units excluding equipment in store; November 2025 IISS assessment. Named service only; no parent-force or national total inferred. Source role: ARTILLERY / SP 155mm. Original estimates, ranges, reporting names, reserve, lease and employment scopes retained; nested included counts are not added. Missile-system quantities mean launchers, not rounds. No readiness, crew, carried weapon, payload, factory-production or future order count inherited.
FinlandArmy exact named equipment holdings: K9 Thunder. Active, operational-reserve and training units excluding equipment in store; November 2025 IISS assessment. Named service only; no parent-force or national total inferred. Source role: ARTILLERY / 155mm. Original estimates, ranges, reporting names, reserve, lease and employment scopes retained; nested included counts are not added. Missile-system quantities mean launchers, not rounds. No readiness, crew, carried weapon, payload, factory-production or future order count inherited.
IndiaArmy exact named equipment holdings: K9 Vajra-T. Active, operational-reserve and training units excluding equipment in store; November 2025 IISS assessment. Named service only; no parent-force or national total inferred. Source role: ARTILLERY / SP 155mm. Original estimates, ranges, reporting names, reserve, lease and employment scopes retained; nested included counts are not added. Missile-system quantities mean launchers, not rounds. No readiness, crew, carried weapon, payload, factory-production or future order count inherited.
NorwayArmy exact named equipment holdings: K9 Thunder. Active, operational-reserve and training units excluding equipment in store; November 2025 IISS assessment. Named service only; no parent-force or national total inferred. Source role: ARTILLERY / SP 155mm. Original estimates, ranges, reporting names, reserve, lease and employment scopes retained; nested included counts are not added. Missile-system quantities mean launchers, not rounds. No readiness, crew, carried weapon, payload, factory-production or future order count inherited.
PolandArmy exact named equipment holdings: K9A1. Active, operational-reserve and training units excluding equipment in store; November 2025 IISS assessment. Named service only; no parent-force or national total inferred. Source role: ARTILLERY / 155mm. Original estimates, ranges, reporting names, reserve, lease and employment scopes retained; nested included counts are not added. Missile-system quantities mean launchers, not rounds. No readiness, crew, carried weapon, payload, factory-production or future order count inherited.
South KoreaMarines exact named equipment holdings: K9 Thunder. Active, operational-reserve and training units excluding equipment in store; November 2025 IISS assessment. Named service only; no parent-force or national total inferred. Source role: ARTILLERY / 155mm. Original estimates, ranges, reporting names, reserve, lease and employment scopes retained; nested included counts are not added. Missile-system quantities mean launchers, not rounds. No readiness, crew, carried weapon, payload, factory-production or future order count inherited.
SpainReported count for K9 Thunder. Service scope: Spanish Army; does not replace a national total. 1 distinct quantity component(s) from the same source list; shared rowspan cells counted once. Explicit source inventory scope: ordered; no other stock status or total inferred. Count column(s): quantity: +128. Origin: South Korea. The listed variants/roles are the scope, not an immediately deployable count. The components do not establish one inventory census date; the stored date is the retrieved source snapshot.
VietnamArmy holdings of the exact named K9 Thunder component: active, reserve operational and training units, excluding equipment in store. This is a service-scoped observation, not a national total or combat-readiness count. No parent-design, sibling-variant, heading aggregate or mounted-weapon total is inherited.
Reported count for 155 PSH K9. Service scope: Finnish Army; does not replace a national total. 1 distinct quantity component(s) from the same source list; shared rowspan cells counted once. Explicit source inventory scope: ordered; no other stock status or total inferred. Count column(s): quantity: +112. Origin: South Korea. The listed variants/roles are the scope, not an immediately deployable count. The components do not establish one inventory census date; the stored date is the retrieved source snapshot.
Reported count for K9 Vajra-T. Service scope: Indian Army; does not replace a national total. 1 distinct count cell(s) from the same source list; shared rowspan cells counted once. Excludes retired/reserve/on-order rows. Count column(s): quantity: 100. Origin: Republic of Korea India. The listed variants/roles are the scope, not an immediately deployable count. The components do not establish one inventory census date; the stored date is the retrieved source snapshot.
Army holdings of the exact named K9 Thunder component: active, reserve operational and training units, excluding equipment in store. This is a service-scoped observation, not a national total or combat-readiness count. No parent-design, sibling-variant, heading aggregate or mounted-weapon total is inherited.
Reported count for K9 VIDAR "Versatile InDirect ARtillery system". Service scope: Norwegian Army; does not replace a national total. 1 distinct quantity component(s) from the same source list; shared rowspan cells counted once. Explicit source inventory scope: ordered; no other stock status or total inferred. Count column(s): quantity: + 24. Origin: South Korea. The listed variants/roles are the scope, not an immediately deployable count. The components do not establish one inventory census date; the stored date is the retrieved source snapshot.
Reported count for K9 Thunder · K9A1. Service scope: Polish Land Forces; does not replace a national total. 1 distinct count cell(s) from the same source list; shared rowspan cells counted once. Retired, wholly reserve and on-order rows are excluded; the reported count retains any explicitly mixed stock scope in the quoted row. Count column(s): quantity: 218. Origin: South Korea. The listed variants/roles are the scope, not an immediately deployable count. Dates are the count-cell citations' stated source period (2025), not the article revision. Cited source 2025-06-12. Edition or publication years do not claim an exact inventory census day.
Reported count for K9/A1 Thunder. Service scope: Republic of Korea Army; does not replace a national total. 1 distinct quantity component(s) from the same source list; shared rowspan cells counted once. Explicit source inventory scope: active; no other stock status or total inferred. Count column(s): in service: 1,240. Origin: South Korea. The listed variants/roles are the scope, not an immediately deployable count. Dates are the count-cell citations' stated source period (2025), not the article revision. 2025 cited publication year. Edition or publication years do not claim an exact inventory census day.
Reported count for K9/A1 Thunder. Service scope: Republic of Korea Army; does not replace a national total. 1 distinct count cell(s) from the same source list; shared rowspan cells counted once. Retired, wholly reserve and on-order rows are excluded; the reported count retains any explicitly mixed stock scope in the quoted row. Count column(s): in service: 1,240. Origin: South Korea. The listed variants/roles are the scope, not an immediately deployable count. Dates are the count-cell citations' stated source period (2025), not the article revision. 2025 cited publication year. Edition or publication years do not claim an exact inventory census day.