Documents
South Korea Hanwha Aerospace
K9 Thunder
South Korea's self-propelled howitzer and the best-selling artillery system of its kind worldwide, exported to Turkey, Poland, Finland, India, Norway, Estonia, Australia, Egypt, Romania, and Vietnam. Its 155 mm 52-caliber gun and automated ammunition handling allow high burst rates of fire and rapid displacement to avoid counter-battery fire.
In service since 1999 · 11 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
67
km/h
360
km range
155
mm gun
47,000
kg
💲 ≈ $3,000,000, Approximate, based on reported 4 billion KRW unit price
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
ROK export-licensed
DAPA-administered; aggressive export posture with financing/offset packages.
Channel: Government-to-government
Fielded & proven
Established · 11 operators
In service since 1999. Status: active · ~1,900 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
$7.5M – $11M
Acquisition is only ~30% of lifecycle cost, operating & support dominate over ~25 yrs. Rough 2.5–3.5× the unit price. How we estimate this →
Interoperability
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
| Max speed Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance. | 67 km/h |
|---|---|
| Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence. | 360 km |
| Rate of fire Rounds per minute (cyclic). Higher increases suppression and hit probability. | 6 rpm |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type. | 155 mm/52-caliber Hyundai WIA CN98 gun |
|---|---|
| Caliber Bore diameter of the main gun or rifle. Larger throws heavier projectiles; not simply better, ammunition commonality matters. | 155 mm |
| Max firing range Maximum range of the main gun or rocket artillery (with assisted/extended-range munitions where noted). Higher extends reach. | 54 km |
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor. | 47,000 kg |
|---|---|
| Crew Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity. | 5 |
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Unit cost Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper. | $3,000,000 |
|---|---|
| Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability. | 1,900 |
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 11 |
Specifications compiled from public Hanwha Aerospace and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
Compare with rivals
See how it stacks up
Lockheed Martin M270A2 MLRS 
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MKE T-155 Fırtına Head-to-head comparisons
K9 Thunder vs
PzH 2000 
CAESAR 
DANA 
AHS Krab Frequently asked questions
What is the top speed of the Hanwha Aerospace K9 Thunder? +
The Hanwha Aerospace K9 Thunder has a maximum speed of 67 km/h.
What is the range of the Hanwha Aerospace K9 Thunder? +
The Hanwha Aerospace K9 Thunder has a maximum range of 360 km.
How much does the Hanwha Aerospace K9 Thunder weigh? +
The Hanwha Aerospace K9 Thunder has a combat weight of 47,000 kg.
How many crew does the Hanwha Aerospace K9 Thunder require? +
The Hanwha Aerospace K9 Thunder requires a crew of 5.
What is the main armament of the Hanwha Aerospace K9 Thunder? +
The Hanwha Aerospace K9 Thunder's primary weapon is the 155 mm/52-caliber Hyundai WIA CN98 gun.
How many countries operate the Hanwha Aerospace K9 Thunder? +
The Hanwha Aerospace K9 Thunder is operated by 11 countries.
How much does the Hanwha Aerospace K9 Thunder cost? +
The Hanwha Aerospace K9 Thunder has an approximate unit cost of 3,000,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration, treat this as directional.
Similar systems
Hanwha Aerospace
K239 Chunmoo
Japan Steel Works, Ltd. (JSW)
Type 99 155mm Self-Propelled Howitzer
Defence Research and Development Organisation
Pinaka
KNDS
PzH 2000
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