Hanwha Aerospace wins additional $637m K9 howitzer order from Finland

The Finnish Ministry of Defence (MoD) has placed an additional order for K9 Self-Propelled Howitzers (SPH) from South Korea’s Hanwha Aerospace.

Under the follow-on contract valued at approximately €546m ($637m), Hanwha Aerospace will deliver 112 additional K9 SPH to Finland.

The contract was signed at the House of the Estates in Helsinki in the presence of Hanwha Aerospace president & CEO Jae-il Son, Head of MRO Business Group Joshua Ahn, and Olli Ruutu, Director General of Resource Policy and Director of National Armaments at the Finnish Ministry of Defence.

The agreement expands Finland’s K9 fleet as part of the country’s ongoing procurement efforts that began in March 2017, when Finland placed its inaugural order of 48 units from Hanwha Aerospace.

With this latest deal, Finland becomes the third Nato member state after Türkiye and Poland to operate more than 200 K9 units.

Deliveries under the new contract are scheduled to commence in 2028, supplying the Finnish Army with the self-propelled howitzers and associated spare parts.

Jae-il Son said: “Finland, as a Nato ally, has once again chosen Hanwha Aerospace — a decision that demonstrates we are a trusted partner in strengthening Europe’s defence capabilities. We will continue to strengthen our partnerships with Nato allies, including across the Nordic region.”

Since the K9 platform has served as Finland’s primary artillery system in recent years, the military will be able to integrate the new units within its current operational infrastructure.

Existing maintenance, logistics networks and crew training programmes will support the expansion without the need for additional facilities or lengthy transition periods.

The K9, a 155 mm/52-calibre self-propelled howitzer, is designed for a firing range exceeding 40 kilometres.

Hanwha Aerospace reports that this artillery system is in service with ten countries on four continents, including six Nato members: Türkiye, Poland, Norway, Finland, Estonia and Romania.

This contract follows Hanwha Aerospace’s initiation in February of construction on its first European manufacturing facility in Petrești, Dâmbovița County, Romania.

The facility will initially focus on the local production of the K9 Self-Propelled Howitzer and K10 Ammunition Resupply Vehicle.