The 4th Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery recently conducted its first tactical field exercise utilising locally manufactured AS9 Huntsman 155mm self-propelled howitzers (SPH). This occurred during Exercise Pozieres Run, a 1st Division activity held at the Townsville Field Training Area from 30 July to 23 August 2026.
The Australian Army has now established an initial battery of four vehicles, a figure that will grow to six AS9s once the regiment has stood up three AS9 batteries.
106 Battery within the Townsville-based 3rd Brigade is the first to field the AS9 Huntsman SPH. These will be eventually supported by three AS10 armoured ammunition resupply vehicles. The regiment’s remaining two batteries are expected to adopt the same structure of six AS9s and three AS10s by the end of 2027.
The AS9s are replacing towed M777A2 155mm howitzers within 4th Regiment.
According to an army spokesperson, the artillery is now moving from individual and crew qualification toward unit- and brigade-level employment. This includes individual gun live-fire exercises, coordinated battery fires, tactical movement, ammunition resupply, maintenance and recovery.
In June 2026, the Australian Army began field testing of the tracked systems following six weeks of training for vehicle crews and maintainers at the School of Artillery in Puckapunyal, Victoria.
These evaluations were conducted by artillerymen from 106 Battery of the 4th Regiment, and they were the first to fire the new domestically produced AS9 SPHs at the conclusion of their six-week course. Activities included both automotive and gunnery trials, confirming the system met performance requirements of the programme and its compatibility with the army’s fires command system.
The first three AS9s had been delivered from the Hanwha Armoured Vehicle Centre of Excellence (H-ACE) in Geelong, Victoria at the end of February 2026.
The H-ACE, which was completed in August 2024, is a 150,000m² facility that boasts manufacturing halls, assembly lines, vehicle testing tracks and a live-fire range. Hanwha Defence Australia is not only supplying and supporting Australian contracts for the AS9, AS10 and AS21 Redback, but it also acts as a regional production hub supporting defence demand across the Indo-Pacific.
The AS9 Huntsman was acquired under Project Land 8116 Phase 1, also called Protected Mobile Fires. In total, Hanwha Defence Australia is supplying 30 AS9 SPHs and 15 AS10 ammunition resupply vehicles.
The AS9 Huntsman derives from Hanwha Aerospace’s K9 artillery piece. Adapted for Australian Army requirements, it includes local integration, protection features and compatibility with national command and fire control systems.
The AS9 makes use of digital systems and a high level of automation to allow for rapid field deployment and the shoot-and-scoot tactics essential for effective operations in current and future battlefields.
by Stephen W. Miller
