El Sistema de Artillería Autopropulsado K-9 “Thunder” desarrollado y producido por Corea del Sur, es reconocido por sus buenas prestaciones y performance, más de 1.000 unidades están en servicio en su ejército y ha sido exportado además a muchos países. Sin embargo, las nuevas tendencias se orientan a obtener mayores alcances de la artillería, dotarla de sistemas autónomos de carga, así como más movilidad y supervivencia. Por esta razón la Agencia de Desarrollo para la Defensa de ese país, inició un importante programa de modernización, que se ha impuesto como objetivo prioritario duplicar el alcance actual del arma (40 km), de manera tal que el K-9 continúe siendo un producto competitivo en el mercado global de defensa.
South Korea has started a new weapon acquisition program to double the shooting range of the K-9 Thunder self-propelled howitzer, one of its key weapons exports.
According to military sources on Sunday, the Agency for Defense Development (ADD) will invest about $38 million over the next 60 months till August 2027 for upgrade in super long-range cannon.
The artillery’s projectile has a range about 40 kilometers, unchanged since its initial development despite performance upgrades in other vehicle parts.
The project has been launched amid rising demand for greater shooting range in response to potential rival products in the global defense market and growing artillery threats from North Korea.
The United States has run an Extended Range Cannon Artillery (ERCA) acquisition program to develop the XM1299 howitzer that can fire munitions 70 to 100 kilometers. Germany is seeking much longer range. Russia already achieved a 70-kilometer range with a new howitzer model, the 2S35, while China’s PL205 can fire munitions 53 kilometers. North Korea is known to be equipped with cannons and howitzers with a shooting range of over 60 kilometers.
South Korean defense authorities have yet to reveal the K-9’s shooting range target, but it may be doubled from current level.
The ADD is currently developing a reloading automation system and remote operation technology that increases the rate of fire from 6 rounds per minute to 9 rounds per minute. Upon completion, the new technology will be applied to the K-9A2, the successor to the currently deployed K-9A1.
South Korea has 1,100 units of the K-9 Thunder self-propelled howitzer and has exported the models to many countries, including Poland, Turkey, Egypt, India, Finland, Australia, Norway, and Estonia.
K9 Thunder is currently manufactured by Hanwha Defense.
Fuente: https://pulsenews.co.kr
