Hanwha Techwin officials have confirmed that the company’s 105 mm self-propelled howitzer is ready for mass production for the Republic of Korea Army (RoKA).
Kim Myung-hwan, a senior manager at Hanwha Techwin, told IHS Jane’s at the Seoul International Aerospace and Defence Exhibition (ADEX) 2015 that the system would enter service in 2017.
Hanwha completed its acquisition of Samsung Techwin and the Samsung Thales defence units in June this year.
The system, which was marketed by Samsung Techwin as the EVO-105, is now called the 105 mm Wheeled Self-Propelled Howitzer. It consists of a standard KIA KM500 (6×6) 5-tonne truck chassis with the rear cargo area modified to accept the upper part of the 105 mm M101 towed gun from the United States. Kim said that Hanwha Techwin could “switch the vehicle for export customers” – the 5-tonne truck had been chosen because it was already in wide RoKA service.
The system features a modified version of the fire-control system from Hanwha Techwin’s 155 mm/52-calibre K9 Thunder tracked self-propelled gun, which is in service with the RoKA and Turkish armed forces and was recently down-selected by India.
Kim said that the gun’s 11.3 km range meant it would act “like a mortar” in an infantry fire-support role and complement the longer-range 155 mm K9.
Company officials have previously said the system was quicker to deploy, fire, and reload than towed 105 mm guns and has a maximum rate of fire of 10 rounds a minute. Sustained rate of fire is typically three rounds a minute with a crew of five.
Fuente: http://www.janes.com
