Hanwha Defense USA, a subsidiary of South Korea’s Hanwha Aerospace, was awarded a contract by the US Army to provide its Mobile Tactical Cannon (MTC).
The MTC is a wheeled, mobile 155mm artillery system intended to replace towed M777 howitzers. Under the contract, Hanwha will deliver six prototypes, with an option for an additional twelve. The initial contract is valued at up to US$262.9 million. Prototypes will, according to the US Army, be delivered for “a series of operational experiments to assess performance, reliability, and supportability in realistic combat conditions. Data and insights gained from these experiments will directly inform senior leaders’ decisions on future fielding”.
Hanwha USA offered the K9-MH, a wheeled variant of the K9 Thunder 155mm self-propelled howitzer fielded by armies in South Korea, Poland, Turkey, Finland, India, Norway, Estonia, Australia, Egypt, Romania, and Vietnam. In several of these sales, Hanwha successfully established local production, which will also be required in the US Army program should it proceed to full production. Hanwha Defense USA is standing up a howitzer production facility in Opelika, Ala. Michael Coulter, Hanwha Defense USA CEO, shared in a statement, “Localisation is central to Hanwha’s global business model, leveraging our global leading industrial technology and process in Korea to create sovereign industrial strength in the U.S., whether it be in shipbuilding, munitions or combat vehicles.”
The US Army had evaluated other candidates. These included the Sigma from Elbit Systems of America (partnered with Anduril and Oshkosh Defense), the RCH155 by American Rheinmetall Vehicles, Archer from BAE Systems, KNDS’s Caesar by Leonardo DRS, and a General Dynamics Land Systems offer.
Although the characteristics and performance of the K9-MH have not yet been revealed, the K9 Thunder, from which it evolved, is in its latest A2 version considered one of the most advanced howitzers in the world. The K9A2 has an enhanced 52 calibre 155mm manufactured by Hyundai WIA with a maximum firing range of 41 kilometres (25 mi) with K307 rounds. In addition, it uses a new high-response artillery automation system essential for a future remote-controlled turret, increasing the maximum firing rate from 6 to 8 rds/min to 9 to 10 rds/min and the sustained firing rate from 2 to 3 rds/min to 4 to 6 rds/min. It is not known if these attributes are included in the US-offered MTC.
by Stephen W. Miller
