The
K9 Thunder is a modern South Korean tracked self-propelled gun. The
first prototypes of this vehicle were made in 1996, and in 1999 serial
production began, which continues to this day. The vehicle is powered by
the MTU MT 881 Ka-500 engine 1000 hp . It is armed with a 155mm L52 cannon and a single 12.7mm K6 HMG machine gun.
The first works on the K9 Thunder artillery system began in 1989 at
Samsung Techwin (now: Hanwha Techwin). The first K9s entered the South
Korean army line in 1999. Vehicles of this type are characterized by
high off-road mobility, have hydropneumatic suspension and a very good
power-weight ratio of the vehicle. They are protected by armor made of
steel sheets, which protects them against small-caliber firearms with a
caliber of up to 14.5 mm and against artillery fragments. The K9 vehicle
also has increased survivability in the event of a detonation of an
anti-personnel or anti-tank mine. The maximum range of the K9 Thunder's
main armament reaches 30,000 meters when firing an ordinary
high-explosive shell and exceeds 50,000 meters when firing the K315
shell. The K9 is also able to fire in the MRSI mode, i.e. it fires a
volley of 3 missiles at intervals of 5 seconds at different angles of
the barrel lift, in such a way that all 3 missiles hit the target
simultaneously. The K9 vehicles were sold to Turkey, where - after
modernization - they serve as the T-155 Firtina. The chassis of the K9
Thunder has also become the basis for the Polish Krab howitzer and is
licensed at Huta Stalowa Wola.
FI / Finland
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