Korean artillery for Romania. First delivery completed

In the summer of 2024, Romania signed a contract with the South Korean Hanwha Aerospace group for the delivery of 54 K9A1 self-propelled howitzers and 36 K10 ammunition resupply vehicles. In addition to the vehicles, 155 mm ammunition, spare barrels, and a logistics and training package were acquired for a total sum of $920 million (approx. €850 million). Romania’s acquisition of Korean artillery was linked to a technology transfer to the local industry, which will be responsible for the assembly of the ordered vehicles.

Korean K9s defeat European competition

According to the programme’s assumptions, self-propelled howitzers and ammunition resupply vehicles were to be acquired, alongside other specialised vehicles such as artillery reconnaissance and technical support vehicles; however, information on the latter is currently lacking (there are many indications that they simply were not purchased). Furthermore, the battalions will receive a meteorological reconnaissance and acoustic detection system, as well as 18,000 rounds.

The implementation of the contract is expected to take 60 months from the moment of its signing (i.e., until July 2029). The South Korean design defeated the German PzH 2000 and the Turkish Firtina II in the Romanian tender. In October 2025, it was reported that the first batch of K9A1 howitzers and K10 ammunition vehicles, numbering 18 and 12 units respectively, would be produced in South Korea and delivered in 2027 (or earlier).

Subsequent vehicles, which are to be delivered in two tranches, will be built at the Romanian facility (serving as an assembly plant) in Petrești (Dâmbovița County). Its construction was scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2026 and is expected to last two years. At the beginning of February, local media and Hanwha Aerospace reported that construction work had commenced.

The facility is intended to become a bridgehead for the Korean company’s expansion into other European markets. As such, it will be responsible for the assembly of the aforementioned K9 and K10 vehicles. Ultimately, the share of Romanian industry in the creation of these vehicles is expected to reach 80%, but this process will occur gradually as know-how is transferred by the Korean giant.

First vehicles already in Romania. A surprise included

On the penultimate day of March, the Romanian Land Forces published a photo of the first K9A1 howitzer destined for them. At the end of September, videos and photos surfaced showing what was likely the delivery of the first South Korean-produced vehicles for the Romanian army on low-loader transporters.

In the footage, we can see at least two K9A1 howitzers (locally named K9 Tunetul), one K10 ammunition resupply vehicle, and… one K12 armoured recovery vehicle, which until recently was at the prototype stage. Hanwha Aerospace is collaborating with the German company Flensburger Fahrzeugbau Gesellschaft (FFG) on its development. Consequently, Romania is its first user.

All the mentioned vehicles were already in Romanian livery, indicating their full (or nearly full) completion. They are currently undergoing acceptance trials, after which they will enter service with the Romanian army, and local training for the first soldiers will begin (excluding, presumably, a group that has already undergone such training in South Korea).

It is worth mentioning that the Romanian K9s will ultimately (similarly to the Australian AS9 Huntsman variant) feature an increased level of crew protection. This will be achieved through add-on armour sourced from the Israeli company Plasan. The company announced the order for “one of the European countries” on its social media in January 2025.

K9 Thunder self-propelled howitzer

The K9 Thunder is a South Korean self-propelled howitzer designed by Samsung Techwin (now Hanwha Aerospace) for the Republic of Korea Armed Forces. The crew consists of five members: a commander, gunner, loader, ammunition handler, and driver. The main armament is a 155 mm CN98 howitzer with a 52-calibre rifled barrel (approx. 8 metres). The gun is mounted in a rotating turret. With a high-explosive base bleed (HE-BB) projectile, the range is 40 km, while with special long-range ammunition, this value can exceed 50 km. The ammunition load consists of 48 sets of projectiles and propellant charges.

The K9 is powered by an MTU MT 881 Ka-500 diesel engine, produced under German licence, developing 1,000 hp, which—with a kerb weight of 47 tonnes—provides a maximum speed of 67 km/h and an operating range of 480 km. An alternative power pack featuring the Korean STX SMV 1000 engine with identical performance is also expected to enter service soon. Both units are paired with an Allison X1100-5A3 automatic transmission. Currently, various variants of the K9 serve in countries such as South Korea, Türkiye, Poland, India, Norway, Estonia, Egypt, Finland, and Australia. In the future, the user group will also be joined by Romania and Vietnam.