K-9 howitzer
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| K9 Thunder | |
|---|---|
| Type | Self-Propelled Howitzer |
| Place of origin |  South Korea Turkey (T-155 Fırtına) |
| Service history | |
| Used by | Republic of Korea Army Republic of Korea Marine Corps Turkish Army |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Samsung Techwin |
| Designed | 1996 |
| Manufacturer | Samsung Techwin |
| Produced | 1999 |
| Variants | K-10, T-155 'Firtina' (Storm) |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 47 tonnes (K-9) 56 tonnes (T-155 'Firtina') |
| Length | 12 m |
| Width | 3.4m |
| Height | 2.73m |
| Crew | 5 (Commander, Driver, Gunner, 2 Loaders) |
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| Rate of fire | 6~8 round/min (Maximum) 2 rounds/min (Sustained) 3 rounds in 15.0 seconds (Burst) |
| Effective range | 360 km |
| Maximum range | 30,000 m (HE) 38,000 m (DP-ICM base bleed) 41,600 m (Extended range full-bore-base) 52-56,000 m (BB+RAP extended range) |
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| Primary armament |
52 cal (155mm howitzer) |
| Secondary armament |
7.62mm machine gun |
| Engine | MTU MT 881 Ka-500 8-cylinder water-cooled diesel 1000 hp |
| Power/weight | 21 hp/ton |
| Suspension | hydropneumatic |
| Operational range |
480 km |
| Speed | 66 km/h |
The K-9 Thunder is an indigenous South Korean self-propelled 155 mm howitzer developed by Samsung Techwin.
Contents |
[edit] General characteristics
K-9 is an indigenous system of an all-welded steel armour construction which is rated to withstand impact by 14.5 mm armour piercing shells and 152 mm shell fragments. The main armament consists of a 155 mm/52 caliber ordnance with a maximum firing range of 40 km. State-of-the-art mobility subsystems include a 1,000 horsepower engine with potential for growth and hydropneumatic suspension unit, a requirement for Korea's rugged mountainous terrain.
It was designed to give the artillery wing of the Republic of Korea Army a significant improvement in capability. With a claimed range of 40 km, it offers greater mobility, longer range, higher rate of fire, and increased battlefield survivability as it can quickly be brought into action, open fire and come out of action. Consequently, it is less likely to be engaged by counterbattery fire, relying on shoot-and-scoot.
The unit also supports full NBC protection.
[edit] Time-On-Target
The K-9 has the ability to fire its shells in time-on-target mode. In the TOT mode, the K-9 is able to lob three shells in under 15 seconds--1 shell every 5 seconds--each in different trajectories so that all of the shells will arrive on their target at the same time, creating three times the effect that of previous generation artillery systems.
[edit] History
The development program of this 155 mm/52-caliber self-propelled howitzer has been underway since 1989. In 1996 the first prototype of this new artillery system was tested. The contract for the new K-9 artillery system was awarded to Samsung Aerospace Industries (SSA) by the Korean Government on 22 December 1998. The contract, the Republic of Korea Army received the first production batch of K-9 from prime contractor SSA in 1999.
Turkey has licensed the design of the K-9 and used it to develop their indigenous self-propelled howitzer, the T-155 Firtina. See T-155 Firtina below for more information.
The K-9 is also one of the three contenders for SPH part of Australia's Land 17 Artillery Replacement Program, facing off against Krauss-Maffei Wegmann's PzH 2000 and Denel's G-6.
[edit] Variants
[edit] K-10 tracked munition carrier/replenisher
The K-10 is a munition carrier/replenisher responsible for re-arming the K-9 Thunder. It is built upon the K-9's chassis. Conventional munition carrier/replenisher for field artillery units are often wheeled cargo trucks that can be hampered by rough terrain and harsh environment, as well as crews who have to expose themselves and manhandle the shells, making them vulnerable to counterbattery fire. The K-10, however, is fully tracked and enjoys the same mobility that K-9 has, and can follow along the main artillery battery without lagging behind.
The reloading process is fully automated, and neither of the crews in the K-9 or K-10 have to expose themselves in order to re-arm. The reloading is done through a munition bridge on the K-10 that extends out to lock itself into the square hole located at the rear of the K-9. This allows for the unit to re-arm itself under harsh conditions where crews' exposure to the environment poses a significant risk, such as nuclear, biological or chemically contaminated areas.
[edit] T-155 Fırtına (Storm)
T-155 Fırtına (Turkish: Storm) is an indigenously-designed 155mm self-propelled howitzer produced by the Turkish Army, which shares many technologies with the South Korean K-9 howitzer.
The T-155 Fırtına has used some of the subsystems of the K-9; such as the German designed MTU-881 KA 500 power pack, the South Korean designed 155/52 caliber gun system and the ammunition feeding mechanism; all of which are also produced under licence in Turkey.
Even though the T-155 looks similar to the K-9, the Turkish howitzer has considerable differences in its turret design, navigation system and electronical systems (such as the radio and fire control system) which were developed in Turkey.
The T-155 are built in Adapazarı, 1st Maintenance Command of the Turkish Army. Production rate of the T-155 is 24 units per year. From 2001 to December 2006, 72 units have been delivered to the Turkish Army. A total of 350 T-155 Fırtına will be produced.
