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According to Hanwha Defense, early next month will mark the end of two decades-long production of K9 Thunder self-propelled howitzer for the Republic of Korea Army. Total of 11 orders for 1,000+ K9 SPH were placed since 2000 after it finished development in 1998.
There have been concerns that end of domestic order would lead to loss of jobs and decrease in factory productivity, but Hanwha officials assured that ongoing upgrade projects and foreign orders will ensure full operation well into the future.
The ROK Army is currently upgrading all of its K9 SPHs to 'K9A1' standard, which includes installation of improved Fire Control System, GPS/INS, Auxillary Power Unit, driver thermal periscope, and other quality of life improvements. K9 SPHs are expected to be further upgraded to 'K9A2' standards in the near future.
In addition to securing domestic upgrade contract, Hanwha Defense has been especially proactive in marketing its products overseas.
Since 2001, over 600 K9 SPH and its variants have been exported to Turkey, Poland, Finland, India, Norway, and Estonia. As such, K9 is one of the most successful defense products of South Korea. Hanwha Defense is now said to focus on African and Middle Eastern markets to boost its sales.
Pictured: recently upgraded K9A1