At a K9 User Club gathering in Estonia, Hanwha Aerospace outlined a new operational concept for howitzers aimed at enabling faster and more accurate artillery strikes on the battlefield.
The concept pairs K9 howitzers with vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
Under the proposed setup, the drones would operate as forward assets, spotting and tracking threats before generating target coordinates and transmitting them to the K9’s fire-direction system.
After the howitzer fires, the drones would remain over the area to monitor the impact, assess the damage, and determine the outcome of the engagement.
Hanwha said the approach could help K9 crews engage newly detected targets faster while keeping human forward observers away from positions exposed to enemy fire.
“From operational lessons learned, maintenance and training to future capability requirements, K9 operators shared their experiences and explored how closer collaboration can strengthen the growing K9 user community,” the company stated.
Part of Broader Modernization
During the event, Hanwha also showcased the K9 Mobile Howitzer (K9MH), a wheeled self-propelled artillery system derived from K9 technology.
The K9MH was previously selected as a prototype for the US Army’s Mobile Tactical Cannon (MTC) program, which seeks to replace M777 towed howitzers in select formations.
Under a $100-million contract, Hanwha will deliver six 155mm mobile howitzers, with an option for 12 additional systems. The agreement could reach a cumulative value of $262.9 million.
The program is intended to field more lethal, mobile, automated, and survivable artillery systems. Initial deployment will focus on Stryker brigade combat teams before expanding to other mobile and infantry formations.
