South Korea To Begin Mass Production Of Upgraded 105mm Howitzer In 2018

South Korea has completed the development of an upgraded 105 mm howitzer featuring increased agility and automated firing control and will start mass producing in 2018. 

The self-propelled artillery system combines the existing 105 mm towed howitzer with a five-ton truck as its bed. The 105mm howitzer with a range of around 11 kilometers is known for reliability, speed and accuracy, Yonhap reported Wednesday.

The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), the country's arms procurement agency, launched a project in 2015 to develop the evolved 105 mm howitzer in partnership with Hanhwa Techwin, a local defense firm. 

"It was assessed as fit for combat by meeting all required operational capabilities in a recent test," DAPA said. "Accordingly, mass-production will begin in 2018 for use by our military units." 

It uses an automated fire control system and an advanced GPS device, enhancing the shoot-and-scoot capability. 

The number of operating personnel will be reduced to five from nine for each existing 105mm towed howitzer.