Romania Selects Korean K9 Thunder Howitzer over German PZH2000, Turkish Firtina-2

Romania’s defense has selected K9 Thunder self-propelled artillery systems, manufactured by South Korean company Hanwha Defense, for its armed forces.

This was reported by Defense Romania today.

The Ministry of Defense of Romania conducted a tender to acquire the latest self-propelled artillery installations, and the South Korean K9 Thunder, produced by Hanwha Defense, emerged as the selected version. The tender, which involved several stages and the elimination of less favorable contenders, took place with three finalists: the Korean K9 Thunder, the German PZH2000, and the Turkish Firtina-2. The final decision, announced after the last stage, named the South Korean K9 Thunder as the winner, with Romania set to purchase 54 units for its Ground Forces.

The Ministry of Defense has allocated €1 billion for the acquisition, covering the artillery systems, a logistics package, and 16,000 rounds of ammunition. Alongside the self-propelled guns, Romania will also acquire special transport and charging machines, specifically the K10 ARV. The K9 Thunder self-propelled guns are slated to become part of newly established artillery divisions, marking Romania's entry into the realm of self-propelled artillery systems.

At present, the K9 Thunder is in service with several countries, including South Korea, Estonia, Finland, India, Norway, Poland, Turkey (T-155 Fırtına variant), and Australia. Egypt is also preparing to adopt these systems in the near future.

In a previous report, it was noted that Hanwha Defense conducted tests of composite tracks on the K9A2 self-propelled artillery installation. The company successfully integrated CRT composite tracks from the Canadian manufacturer Soucy, responding to a request from the British command. These composite tracks, proven to be 50% lighter than the steel version on land and 79% lighter on water, offer potential benefits for tracked machinery in the future.