On 26 August 2022, Hanwha Defense signed a contract valued at US$2.4Bn to supply K9 THUNDER Self-Propelled Howitzers (SPHs) to Poland. Hanwha has stated that this contract is the largest in the history of the K9 SPH, with deliveries slated to take place between 2022 and 2026. This contract is the first phase of a framework agreement signed in late July, as part of efforts to strengthen the defence capabilities of the Polish Armed Forces, and according to Hanwha, a follow-on contract is expected to be signed by the end of 2022.
The contract signing ceremony was held at a military base in the northern Polish town of Morag, and was attended by:
- Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak
- Sebastian Chwalek, Chairman of the Polish defense group, Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa (PGZ)
- Eom Dong-hwan, Minister of South Korea’s Defence Acquisition Program Administration
- Yoo Dong-joon, head of the South Korean Ministry of National Defense’s Office of Military Force and Resources Management
- Son Jaeil, CEO and President of Hanwha Defense
Hanwha Defense have also announced that they will open a Polish business office by the year’s end in an effort to expand its footprint in the European market, as well as solidify the partnership further with Warsaw. The partnership between Hanwha and Poland has grown out of the KRAB SPH project under which Hanwha Defense supplied the K9 chassis to help the local industry manufacture the Krab SPH for the Polish military.
Hanwha Defense has already signed contracts for K9 SPHs with :
- Estonia
- Norway
- Poland
- Turkey
The company is also set to offer the K9 in its bid for the UK Mobile Fires Platform programme.
MC
