K9A2 Thunder

K9A2 Thunder

Type: artillery

Domain: land

Country of Origin: South Korea

Manufacturer: Hanwha Defense

First Deployed: 2023

Overview

Poland contracted for 672 K9A1 Thunder self-propelled howitzers from Hanwha Defense in August 2022 — the largest-ever K9 export order. Deliveries include South Korean-built systems and a production line at HSW Stalowa Wola for the K9PL (Poland) variant. The K9A1 is the upgraded variant featuring an auto-layer, improved fire control, and reliability improvements over baseline K9. Rate of fire is 6 rounds/minute sustained (burst: 3 rounds in 15 seconds). Range: 40+ km standard, 50+ km with extended-range munitions. The 672-unit fleet will be Poland's primary artillery backbone, alongside the Krab and HIMARS systems.

Operators

Related land Weapon Systems