Hanwha Aerospace recently announced that it successfully completed the durability tests of the domestically produced engines for the K9 self-propelled howitzer, which were conducted from the second half of 2023 until December of last year. The K9 self-propelled howitzer equipped with a domestically produced engine met all performance and operational requirements while being driven 10,000 km in various driving environments, including deserts and mountains in both domestic and foreign countries such as Egypt.
According to this result, the domestically produced K9 self-propelled howitzer equipped with a domestic engine is scheduled to be mass-produced in Egypt starting this second half of the year. This is part of a 2 trillion won package export agreement that Hanwha Aerospace signed with the Egyptian government in February 2022, which includes K9 self-propelled howitzers, K10 ammunition supply vehicles, and K11 command armored vehicles. The domestically produced K9 engines are manufactured by STX Engine.
The existing K9 self-propelled howitzer was equipped with an engine that domestic corporations licensed from foreign products. Therefore, exporting the K9 self-propelled howitzer required approval from the engine developer's government, which imposed restrictions on exports to certain countries, including those in the Middle East.
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and relevant organizations, including the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, embarked on a technology cooperation initiative for the localization of key materials and components for defense in 2020, and in cooperation with companies, began developing the K9 self-propelled howitzer's domestic engine from April 2021. As a result, they successfully localized over 500 core components of the engine within three years by last year.
Hanwha Aerospace successfully completed driving tests by integrating the newly developed domestic engines into the existing K9 system, utilizing veteran drivers over the past year. Four drivers alternated driving 100 km each day.
Hanwha Aerospace is also actively pursuing the localization of advanced aircraft engines. The aim is to secure the core technologies of fighter jets to enhance self-defense as well as to activate the defense export ecosystem through future export expansion.
A representative of Hanwha Aerospace noted, "We will contribute to the expansion of K-defense exports based on the localization of key technologies in the defense and aerospace sectors and secure a competitive edge in the increasingly fierce global defense market."