South Korea's K9 Thunder Is A Force to Be Reckoned With

After the Second World War , Korea was divided into two areas at the 38th Parallel. The North came under the control of the Soviet Union, while the South was influenced by the United States. Just as the USSR and America were engaged in an arms race, North and South Korea have also been in a similar competition, which eventually resulted in the inclusion of the K9 Thunder in the South’s military arsenal.

Development of the K9 Thunder

In the 1980s, South Korea's defense strategy relied significantly on the K55 howitzer, a variant of the M109A2, and the M107 self-propelled gun to guard against potential threats from the North. Although these systems were effective, they were outdated and had shorter firing ranges compared to North Korea's M-1978 Koksan artillery.

The Republic of Korea Armed Forces turned down a proposal to upgrade the K55, prompting the development of a new artillery system. The K9 Thunder, designed primarily by the Agency for Defense Development (ADD), was conceived with requirements such as incorporating an anti-air weapon, preferably the M61 Vulcan , and having river-crossing capabilities.

Despite their experience with the K55, ADD had not previously designed its own vehicles or artillery systems. Consequently, it took several years to produce the first prototype, with the K9 Thunder officially entering production in 1999.

K9 Thunder specs

When all was said and done, the M61 wasn't added to the K9 Thunder, as it was later determined to be unnecessary. Instead, the artillery system features the Hyundai WIA CN98 155 mm as it main armament, with the SNT Dynamics K6 12.7 x 99 mm NATO HMG as its secondary. The former has a maximum firing range of between 25-34 miles, depending on the ammunition, and a firing rate of three rounds per 15 seconds.

Along with featuring powerful weaponry, the K9 Thunder is also well-armored, wrapped in MIL-12560H steel armor developed by POSCO for the K2 Black Panther . Not only can this withstand blasts from anti-personnel mines, but it's also capable of protecting against 155 mm High-Explosive (HE) and 14.5 mm armor-piercing rounds.

Bombardment of Yeonpyeong

The K9 Thunder first entered service in 1999, but it would be over 10 years before the howitzer participated in its first fight. On November 23, 2010, South Korea was conducting a military exercise in disputed waters near Yeonpyeong Island, which the North viewed as an act of aggression. This led them to fire 170 shells in that direction, causing widespread damage. In response, the South returned fire.

Prior to the exercise , the North had wired a message to the South, asking if it was an attack and warning that it wouldn't sit idle if weapons were fired in the region. Despite this, the South went ahead with the exercise. During the engagement, four people were killed and another 22 were injured, while two K9 Thunders sustained damage. Casualties included both military personnel and civilians.

The skirmish was considered to be one of the most serious crises between the two countries since the Korean War and is said to have caused an escalation of tension along the Korean Peninsula.

Other countries have adopted the K9 Thunder

Several nations have purchased the K9 Thunder for use within their own militaries. In 2001, Turkey came to an agreement with South Korea, which allowed the country to make its own version of the artillery system, dubbed the T-155 Fırtına. At present, 280 have been produced for use by Turkish military forces.

In 2014, Poland reached a deal to purchase 120 K-9 Thunder chassis to serve as the base for the AHS Krab, a 155 mm howitzer being developed by Polish designers. In 2022, the country sent 18 of these artillery systems to Ukraine for use in its war against Russia .

The same year Poland made its deal with South Korea, India ran a test to compare the K9 Thunder to Russia's 2S19 Msta. The winner was the former, leading the country's military to order 100 of the artillery systems, dubbed the K9 Vajra-T. A deal to purchase an additional 40 was signed in 2021, with these newer howitzers being outfitted for service at higher altitudes.

Other countries to have purchased either the rights to the K9 Thunder's design or the artillery system outright include Finland, Norway, Estonia, Australia and Egypt.

A number of variants have been developed

In addition to changes made to the K9 Thunder by other countries, there have been two major variants developed, with one more in the works. The K9A1 saw upgrades to the howitzer's computer system, making its GPS and driver's system more efficient. The engine was also upgraded to make it quieter and more fuel efficient.

The K9A2 features an enhanced main gun, with a longer barrel life, faster rate of fire and farther range. The howitzer's armor was also enhanced, allowing it to defend against anti-tank mines. Additionally, a fully-automated autoloading system was installed, and many of its computer systems were, again, upgraded.

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In 2020, plans were announced for the K9A3. It's still in the initial stages of development, but is expected to include unmanned technology and a cannon that can fire up to 62 miles. There's also discussions regarding the addition of a railgun and super long-range cannon to the howitzer.